Mirage of Beginning
by Karura Ou
Summary: Japan, 1579. Uesugi Kagetora loses the Otate no Ran and commits suicide. His part in History comes to an end. But his history only begins.
1. prologue

_MoB characters belong only to their author, Kuwabara Mizuna._

_I had the idea for this fic when I was watching the first two-thirds of the series, when we discover the relationship between Naoe and Kagetora but also their long and tumultuous past. The brief allusions during the show weren't enough for me and I wanted to write about this interesting period of time, when Naoe realised little by little his feelings for his lord._

_Alas, I discovered shortly after that Kuwabara-sensei had already written four books about the early years of the Yasha-shuu. Well, we'll all be dead when the books are translated (if that ever happens), so I decided to write this story. Of course, some things will be inspired by the summaries I read about those books._

_The story takes place in a feudal Japan, in 1587, about ten years after Kagetora's death._

_Spoilers for the whole series._

_Warning: English is not my first language so I apologise for any mistake you may find._

_I thank Lady Nara for her corrections._

_XxX_

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Prologue**_

Kagetora opened his eyes and didn't know where he was. He frowned. His surroundings were strange and covered by a dense fog. The air was odourless and he didn't feel the ground under his feet. Well, he didn't feel his body either. He raised his hands and the gesture seemed artificial; there was something amiss but he didn't know what. He lowered his hands and looked around himself. Fog as far as his eyes could see and not a sign of life. He was about to call -- he didn't really know who to call but anything was better than the silence surrounding him -- but then a figure appeared in the fog. Kagetora immediately took a defensive stance and his hand lifted to his belt in order to take a weapon he realised he didn't have. His sword's absence puzzled him briefly, but then he resumed his stance. He would deal with it later; the newcomer was more important for the moment. Friend or foe, that man could tell him about this strange place. The figure became clearer and Kagetora opened his dark eyes wide, recognising the approaching man. All will to fight left him and he fell on his knees. "Kenshin-sama!"

The former lord of the Uesugi clan appeared and stopped before his adoptive son without saying anything. Kagetora didn't dare to look up. He couldn't believe it. Or maybe... "Father, am I dead too?" He briefly remembered flames around him and a deep despair then a dark resolution... "They didn't let me see you," he suddenly sobbed. "I wanted to pay my last respects to you but Kagekatsu... my brother... he didn't let me see your body..." He would always remember that awful moment. Already pained by the death of the one he had come to consider as his father, he hadn't even been allowed to enter the fortress. Kagekatsu hadn't come in person, he had let his vassals inform Kagetora that Kenshin had named his other son as his successor. It hadn't mattered to Kagetora then. He had just wanted to see his father for the last time. It was only later that the question of the succession became vital.

Kenshin was silent and that silence was worse than anything. Kagetora finally dared to look up at his adoptive father. The old bushi had changed his armour for a monk's robe but excepting that, he was still the same as Kagetora remembered: the same dark and brilliant eyes, filled with an unusual intelligence, the same grey hair and beard. Kagetora lowered his eyes again. "Why don't you say anything? Are you disappointed in me?" He closed his eyes to repress his pain. All his life, he had wanted to please Kenshin, the only man who had offered him a true home and family. Unfortunately, everything had shattered after his death. Surely Kenshin thought he was the only responsible, that he was the one to start the Otate no Ran. How could he tell him that it wasn't like that? How could he tell him that Kagekatsu was the one responsible? After all, Kagekatsu was also adopted but he still shared the same blood as Kenshin, being his nephew. Kagetora was the only true stranger, the outcast, the child of the Houjou. He had always been...

Kenshin inhaled suddenly and Kagetora held his breath. "My son..." Those first words lifted a great weight from Kagetora's shoulders. Even if Kenshin was angry at him, he still considered him to be his son. "... I'm not proud of you." Kagetora looked up at Kenshin with incomprehension. He waited for the rest. "I'm ashamed of your actions as a vengeful spirit..."

Kagetora inhaled sharply as the memories came back at once. Yes, he had returned as a vengeful spirit to torment Kagekatsu. But he had ended up striking out at his brother's troops, lashing out with indifference and a madness he hadn't shown when alive. Now he was remembering, he was also mortified by his actions. He had hurt innocent people just because he couldn't accept his defeat and his death. It wasn't the true behaviour of a bushi. He bowed deeply before his father. "I'm ashamed of myself," he said with contrition. "I'm already dead so I cannot repent with seppuku..."

Kenshin frowned. "You won't be able to redeem yourself like that," he said severely. "You are like a caged beast, my son. When you died, your true self was revealed... You wronged a lot of people and it shall take time for you to redeem yourself."

Upon hearing those words, Kagetora stood up, his eyes full of hope. "I can make amends?" he asked. "I can make up for it?"

Kenshin smiled kindly. "No one is beyond redemption, provided you really want to redeem yourself." Kagetora nodded eagerly. Kenshin's smile widened. "I never doubted you, my son. But you have to know that it will be a long and hard task."

"I would do anything for you, father," said Kagetora, bowing again.

Satisfied, Kenshin nodded. "Then your new existence begins right now. Like yours, other spirits have refused purification and are still haunting the world of the living. This is not acceptable and these souls must be helped to find the other world. War god Bishamonten assigned me this duty and he allowed me to call some pure and honest souls. The Sengoku era will soon come to an end and we must begin our work as soon as possible. Do you understand what I'm expecting of you, son?"

Kagetora seemed puzzled. "I understand that my task will be to send the avenging spirits to the other world, but how? I'm a warrior, not an onmyouji."

"You surely don't realized it, but you have a very strong spiritual power. You just need to learn how to use it. The divine Bishamonten will help you to discover your hidden abilities. You will then get a new body in order to achieve your task better. Other spirits from the Uesugi will help you later. You will lead them and, on my behalf, you will purify the world of the living.

Kagetora stiffened, then bowed. "Yes, father!"

Kenshin smiled again, then waved to him. "The god is waiting for you, my son. I'm sure we will meet again. I leave it to you..."

Moved by his father's trust, Kagetora wanted to reply but he felt a huge presence and he blacked out.

_**To be continued...**_


	2. Chapter 1

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter One**_

He opened his eyes with a feeling of déjà vu. He only saw cold stones and some mouldy bits of straw. He sat up with difficulty as though his body had suddenly tripled its weight. He grumbled and almost started when he heard a hoarse and guttural sound coming from his own throat. Something was wrong but he couldn't pinpoint it. He looked around himself and recognised the sadness of a jail. A faint light was falling from a little hole that was a window, high on the wall with wooden bars to prevent any escape. A rusty grating was on the other side of the wall and you could see a long and dark corridor that seemed as cold as the cell. No watchman was in sight and no torch was burning in the corridor. What was he doing there? Had Kagekatsu finally decided to get rid of him by letting him rot in a cell? A stab of bitterness rose in him. Just one year ago, Kagetora would have never believed that his own brother could do something like that. He still remembered those long evenings spent in chatting about the world's future, a better future like the one Kenshin was hoping for, and how each one could help the other to rule Echigo and share their pacific philosophy with the rest of Japan... How could things go so wrong?

"You are finally awake, Kagetora-dono."

He started and turned to the one speaking. The roughly dressed man leaning on the wall wasn't familiar. Kagetora frowned. "Who are you?" he demanded. The man seemed to be in his twenties. He had black disheveled and greasy hair and a one-day growth of beard but his eyes were almost like Kenshin's.

"I am Irobe Katsunaga. Kenshin-sama has entrusted me to serve and obey you." Kagetora blinked and everything became clear. He remembered his conversation with his father and he also remembered he was dead. Yet he was breathing and moving. He looked down at his hands and didn't recognise them since they were dirty and misshapen, with short fingers, yellowish nails and a scar on the back of his left hand.

"There are not my hands," he said stupidly.

"Of course, don't forget you are dead. Kenshin-sama and the divine Bishamonten have granted you the ability to possess a living body. You couldn't have carried on the mission as a disembodied spirit."

Kagetora stopped looking at his hands -- no, not _his_ -- to focus on the man in front of him. He suddenly recalled something. "Irobe-san? you were serving Kenshin-sama until your..." He trailed off, a little embarrassed.

Irobe smiled softly. "Until I died, yes. But Kenshin-sama called me back from the realm of death to serve you, Kagetora-dono. Didn't he tell you that you wouldn't be alone in your mission?" A little lost, Kagetora nodded. He had a new body and Irobe too. They were supposed to be dead and yet they were still in the living world. "Others will come, too," Irobe went on. "Kenshin-sama didn't tell me who they will be but we can trust him to choose trustworthy people."

"Where are we?"

Irobe sighed. "I'm afraid we are in jail. It seems the former owners of our bodies were bandits. I have heard you will be executed in three days..." The notice of his death didn't seem to disturb Kagetora. Irobe understood very well that disregard. Kagetora had been dead for eight years and he had spent all that time as a vengeful spirit until Kenshin-sama called him to order. The young man should not have realized yet he was alive once more and should fear death like anyone else. Irobe narrowed his eyes as he watched the younger man. He had died before Kenshin concluded the alliance with the Houjou and before Kagetora -- whose name was then Saburo-- was sent to Echigo to seal the alliance. So it was the first time he saw the one Kenshin had adopted, although he couldn't rely on looks. Irobe had a low opinion about the Houjou. For him as for many others, they were just a clan of upstarts who had chosen this prestigious name only to be more impressive. The possibility of an alliance had been discussed shortly before Irobe's death but the rebellion of Honjou Shinegaga, one of the most troublesome of Kenshin's retainers, had taken his time and Irobe had died soon after. Kenshin must have finally concluded that alliance. Irobe was against the alliance but it was not his place to criticise his lord's decisions. If Kenshin trusted Kagetora to represent him for this delicate mission, Irobe would protect and support him. The past was over and they needed to focus on the future and their mission. Irobe used his new senses, that power that was latent during his lifetime; Kenshin had recognised that power and that was why he was now part of the Yashashuu. He had now to get used to evaluating the power of the people surrounding him as he had evaluated their strength in the past. What he felt surprised him but confirmed his trust in Kenshin: Kagetora was literally overflowing with energy. It was a raw power, wild but undeniably strong and it bore the mark of Bishamonten. Irobe chuckled, remembering his own initiation. "He must have been greatly loved," he thought.

In the meantime, Kagetora was not very concerned by the fate of his body. Everything seemed so unreal to him. Possessing bodies? Exorcising the spirits who refused eternal rest? And to top it all off, Kenshin had sent him in the body of a death-sentenced criminal. He laughed ironically. What should he think of that? Was it a message of his father? Did his father really think he only deserved such a body? "No," he thought. "I mustn't think this of Kenshin. He is an upright and respectable man. He would not have chosen me for this mission if he really hated me. And even if he did... I would all the same follow him until the end of the world." He slowly straightened up, feeling the strangeness of his new body. It was... abhorrent. He felt as if a man was holding him firmly in his arms without any way to escape. He felt nauseous and pushed back that thought. If it was Kenshin's will, he would endure it. Even though it brought back some bad memories, memories he would have preferred to bury deep inside. He sighed and scowled when he heard again that voice that wasn't his. He leaned back against a wall and replayed the conversation with Kenshin in his mind, in order to understand the mission he had been entrusted with. One thing was clear: he couldn't do a thing while being in jail. He looked around himself to find any flaw in the wall but he found nothing. Without his sword, he couldn't escape. His hand reached to his side for a sword that wasn't there and he sighed. He was so used to having his sword by his side like a permanent protection, even if he didn't use it often. Kagekatsu had once joked about it and said his sister should be careful if Kagetora was wearing his sword even in bed.

Kagetora's face darkened. For the thousandth time, he wondered what happened to his brother to cause him to trigger the Otate no Ran. Kagekatsu had severed all their family ties, he had even abandoned his own sister because she was Kagetora's wife. The young man clenched his fists. He could never forgive Kagekatsu's betrayal. He wouldn't make again the same mistake by trying to retaliate-- he didn't want to suffer Kenshin's wrath-- but he would hate his brother as long as he would remain in this world. That said, if he couldn't find quickly a way to get out of prison, he wouldn't remain in this world much longer.

He frowned and suddenly remembered he had received some kind of powers from Bishamonten. When he had finished talking to Kenshin, it seemed like he had been transported to another place. He had felt a great power there, the power of Bishamonten of the Eight Swords. It was the first time in his life he had felt such charisma. As for the rest... Only obscure memories and impressions. He frowned when his nausea came back with force. Yes, there was a sort of ceremony... Bishamonten had imposed himself on him and he hadn't been able to defend himself, he didn't even think about defending himself. He had felt so helpless, like that other time. It had almost been like... a rape. And now he could feel in a corner of his mind that part that didn't belong to him but to the black warrior (1) and he knew he could never get rid of it. Moreover, it was Kenshin's will. "I feel like a woman forced to bear the child of a man she doesn't love," he thought while trying to ignore his nausea. "But since it's what my father wants, I won't oppose it." He still had to find a way to escape this place. But how?

With reluctance, he looked up at Irobe and said: "We need to get out of here. Do you have any ideas?" He hated to recognise any weakness, but his father's mission came first. Plus, Irobe had been one of Kenshin's most respected generals and he had great military experience. His opinion could be valuable. Irobe bent his head and waited a moment before answering. "From what I understand, we are currently in the island of Sado." Kagetora thought a moment then remembered: this small island was under the Honma's rule but it was close to Echigo, Kenshin's province. "Even if we manage to get out of this cell," Irobe went on, "it will not be easy to return to Honshu (2)."

"The soldiers must have boats," Kagetora said. "Even if they are watched, it shouldn't be a problem."

Irobe's eyes became severe. "You are forgetting one thing: now we are kanshousha, we are under certain restraints."

Kagetora groused. "We mustn't interfere with the living," he recited. "We must not kill nor... sleep with women."

Irobe nodded. "We have possessed the bodies of two persons. Although it seems they were scoundrels, we still have destroyed two lives. The kanshousha are not in the natural order but our mission is sacred."

"Really?" Kagetora whispered. "I wonder if it can justify everything."

For a moment, Irobe's gaze lost its severity. He understood Kagetora's shock. He himself had felt it, though less strongly. He decided to talk about more pragmatic concerns. "Two guards bring the food every two days. They are coming today so we had better agree upon a tactic."

"We must act as discreetly as possible. We don't want to alert the whole fortress. If we can seize the keys of the cell, perhaps we could manage to sneak out."

"It won't be easy," Irobe argued. "How could we seize the keys without killing the guards? Moreover, neither of us has a weapon and our bodies have been rotting in jail for months. We are not in shape to fight two well-trained soldiers. We need to take time to think about a new strategy."

Kagetora sighed. Irobe was as expected: a general with military habits who would never act without having carefully considered the whole situation. But sometimes it was necessary to act without hesitation and think about the consequences later.

Footsteps and a light conversation were heard in the dark hall. Irobe turned his head to the grid then resumed his position against the wall and closed his eyes. "Don't try anything today," he whispered. "We will try something next time."

But Kagetora didn't feel that way. Without Irobe seeing him, he straightened and narrowed his eyes to see the soldiers coming from the dark. They were both young. However, they seemed perfectly healthy and Kagetora realised that Irobe was right: in his current state there was no way he could defeat them with his own hands, and using a sword was out of the question because he might kill them. But surely he could do something, couldn't he? He could not bear to wait two more days. He would become mad if he stayed in this new body within four walls and nothing else to do except think and remember.

"Hey, you're finally awake, Kurata?" one of the soldiers called. Kagetora looked at them without understanding. Then he realised he was the one called. Thus it must be the name of this body's former owner. Not knowing what to say, he merely glowered at the soldier and waited for a chance to attack him. His attitude didn't disturb the guard, who merely laughed.

"You will feel the rope on your neck in a few days," the other guard informed him. "It's still too good for you, scoundrel!" he added spitting on the floor.

"I heard that in the old times, the criminals were left tethered on the beach and the crabs would eat them," the first guard said. "but now we are _civilized_."

"What a pity." While talking, the guard had opened the gate and Kagetora's eyes had shone upon seeing the coveted keys. The other guard left a bucket filled with a dirty mixture on the floor. Then they locked the gate and the first guard hung the keys on his belt. As they were leaving, Kagetora suddenly rushed to the gate with his eyes locked on the keys. His will was focused on them and he had to get them! He stretched his hand unconsciously and felt sweat drops on his forehead. Amazingly, he saw the keys rise slowly from the belt and remain in the air. The guards didn't notice and walked farther. Kagetora didn't dare to move nor to breath for fear that the miracle would end with the sudden clicking of the keys falling on the cold stone. It would have attracted the guards' attention and ruined their tenuous chance to escape.

Time seemed to have stopped. Kagetora suddenly felt a presence at his side but didn't dare to turn his head. He must keep on looking at the keys. "Kagetora-dono, what..." Irobe didn't finish his question. He inhaled quickly and held his breath for a moment. He stepped closer to his lord and whispered: "How is this possible? Do you think it comes from Bishamonten's powers?"

"Shh!" the younger man ordered. But it broke his concentration and the keys fell to the ground with a loud click. The two prisoners tensed, fearing to hear surprised cries and the sound of footsteps coming back in a hurry. But the dark hall remained silent, as usual. The soldiers might have been too far away to have heard the faint sound. Kagetora released his breath and let his arm fall back through the bars of the grid. "Behind each problem there are a hundred others hiding," he muttered. They had the keys but they were out of reach and nothing in the cell could help to catch them. Unless... "What did you mean about Bishamonten?"

"As Kenshin-sama surely told you, we have been chosen for our strong spiritual power even though we never used it in our past life. This is why the divine Bishamonten has initiated us. So I have wondered if we could have other... supernatural abilities apart from exorcising spirits. Now we have a proof."

"But I can't control it!" Kagetora protested. "Why do I have such a power if I can't use it like I want?"

"I think you only need to train," Irobe simply said. "All talents need some training. Remember the first time you held a sword."

Kagetora didn't want to remember. If possible, he would have erased all memories about his childhood among the Houjou. Of course, there were some good moments, like the time spent with his brother Ujiteru. But there were also other times... No, he didn't want to remember.

He shook his head and focused on the present. "If it happened once," he said, "it could happen again." He stretched out his hand and tried to be in the same state of mind as a few minutes ago. He needed the keys, he _must_ have them, he must... A faint click was heard and Kagetora blinked. It couldn't be a fluke. He stretched his hand again and focused. He could almost feel his mind stretching from his body and moving towards the keys. In a way, it was like the time when he was just a vengeful spirit. He was disembodied then but he had been able to interact with the living and cause many deaths.

"Kagetora-dono, focus!" Irobe's severe tone revealed the military instructor. Kagetora put all thoughts aside and focused solely on the keys. They started to move faintly. It was almost as if he was trying to tame a wild cat. Then the keys moved with increasing assurance and they ended their trajectory at Kagetora's feet. The man seized them victoriously!

"We still need to get over another hump," Irobe said, cooling down his enthusiasm. "How are we going to get out of this place unnoticed? We don't even know which direction to take!"

Kagetora was already trying the different keys in the lock. He finally found the right key and opened the grid. He turned to the former general. "We shall see," he said with confidence. He left the cell without looking back and Irobe could only follow him, admiring his determination. He truly was a leader and a conqueror. Even in a difficult situation, he hadn't given up and had been able to turn back the tables. Irobe smiled and shook his head. Uesugi Kagetora was indeed the worthy heir of Kenshin. Of course, he still had the fire of youth but had he survived, there was no doubt he would have led Japan into an era of peace.

"I knew you couldn't misjudge people, Kenshin-sama," Irobe thought. "Even if I never really regarded the Houjou with esteem, this one deserves to be served faithfully." He ran in the wake of his new master.

_**To be continued...**_

_Notes :__ 1. the black warrior : another name for Bishamonten_

_ 2. Honshu : the main island of Japan_


	3. Chapter 2

_Thanks for all the wonderful reviews. I hope you will like this chapter._

_XxX_

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter two**_

Naoe watched his surroundings without any surprise. There was fog as far as the eye could see. His body felt strange and too light. "It must be a dream," he thought. He looked neutrally at the fog which seemed to gradually thicken. He suddenly felt a presence and turned toward the newcomer. His eyes widened briefly but it was the only visible sign of surprise. "Kenshin-kou," he said, bowing respectfully. Since he believed it to be a dream, he wasn't so surprised to see the former warlord standing in front of him.

Uesugi Kenshin silently observed his vassal's son. Naoe had always had a great self-control and he was proving it once again while he was in a new situation. "Do you know where you are?" He asked.

Naoe answered without any hesitation: "In a dream, without a doubt."

Kenshin chuckled softly. Naoe would never change. "You are in the world of dead." His tone became more severe. "You have wronged a lot of people as a vengeful spirit, Naoe Nobutsuna..."

Naoe frowned and finally remembered his death and his actions as a vengeful spirit. He bowed. "My actions are indeed unforgivable. I'm ready to accept whatever punishment."

Kenshin thought with a nostalgic humour that Naoe and Kagetora were very different. Although they were roughly the same age, they had opposite personalities. Kagetora was as fierce as the tiger he was named for, which sometimes led him to impulsive and irrational acts. Naoe was calmer and much more detached and he was an excellent tactician. However, the two men had an amazing charisma.

"However, I must say that I do not regret having chosen Kagekatsu-sama over that usurper Kagetora. You have nothing to fear, Kenshin-kou. Echigo is in the right hands. Kagekatsu-sama will protect the region that was so dear to you much better than that arrogant minion."

Kenshin's lips twisted to hide his smile. Their meeting would cause sparkles. He decided to resume the conversation. "I have a very important mission to entrust to you, Naoe. You have always served faithfully my family and I ask you to continue even after your death." Naoe straightened and nodded. "Other spirits are still roaming in the world of living and just want one thing: to resume the feudal war and disrupt the natural order. I have already instructed one person to eliminate those spirits in order to restore peace. You mission will be to protect and assist him with this task."

"I thank you for your trust, Kenshin-kou. I will protect your representative as if he were you."

Kenshin succumbed to the temptation. "You already know him: he's my son, Kagetora." He carefully watched the surprise and disbelief reflecting in Naoe's eyes. It was one of those rare moments when the young man didn't control perfectly his emotions. He waited for Kenshin to add something and maybe to take back what he said, but when he realised it was only the truth he dropped his gaze and his shoulders fell down. Then he resumed his rigid and proud position and bowed. "If this is your will, Kenshin-kou, I will second your representative, Kagetora... sama."

Feeling the venom in the last words, Kenshin sighed mentally. Things wouldn't be easy but he was sure he had made the right choice. "Naoe," he scolded, "your life at the service of my son Kagekatsu is over now. You have to leave the past behind you and to concentrate only on the mission, which is very important." Naoe bowed again but his back was still stiff. "You're like a caged beast," Kenshin went on. "But the cage broke after your death and it's up to you to choose: either you start enjoying your freedom and accept what you really are, or you can rebuild another cage for you are too afraid to find your true self."

Surprised, Naoe looked up at him. Kenshin had always been good at measuring people's value. But what was he meaning when he talked about a cage?

"The god Bishamonten is waiting for you. He will help you release your spiritual powers. You will take then a new body in order to act in the world of living. Remember, though: you mustn't kill anyone nor sleeping with a woman." Naoe bowed one last time before the god's presence was felt.

XxX

When he came to life, he immediately knew he was back again in the world of living. Someone was shaking him by the shoulder. "Hey, guy, sleep it off in another place!" A coarse voice said. Naoe blindly strike the insolent on the face. A muffled cry and a swearing told him that he had aimed well. He opened his eyes and sat up. A pungent smell assaulted his nose. He must be in a tavern. He looked around him and saw the innkeeper casting him a dark glance with both hands pressed to his nose, to prevent blood. "If it's broken, you will see!" The man threatened.

Naoe ignored him haughtily. He stood up and passed a hand on his kimono as if to remove dust. His mouth tightened when he noticed some wine stains and grease on the tissue. The previous owner of that body wasn't very careful. He must have been a farmer, not a noble. "Where are we?" He asked another customer.

The man glanced suspiciously at him over his glass of sake and relutanctly answered: "Shibata."

Naoe slightly relaxed and left that pestilential place. He was still on Kagekatsu's grounds. The urge to go back to his former master and serve him again was great. Naoe could be considered as cold and distant but when he swore loyalty to someone, he would never betray them... excepted if his master proved himself disappointing. However, he had also sworn loyalty to Kenshin who had given him an important mission that didn't clash with his allegiance to Kagekatsu. And he could even serve his former master. "That Kagetora is only an upstart," he thought disdainfully. "I don't doubt he's waiting for a chance to attack my master. But he doesn't know I'm now here to watch him. I swear it, Kagetora won't lay a single finger on Kagekatsu-sama!"

He suddenly looked around him and realised he was walking without knowing where to go. Something flashed in his mind, a bit of conversation he wasn't very certain of. He had to meet... Kagetora and another in a tavern in the city. He frowned. Kenshin had surely organised that meeting. Well, he would soon see the one he would have to watch carefully.

He hastened to go to the tavern, a well-known place he had already visiting when he was still alive. It was strange to think like that when he was walking again along the streets of Shibata, alive and well. But it wasn't his body. He was dead and he should then forget the past, or so Kenshin-kou had advised him. He suddenly saw a crowd and heard a voice hailing. "Come on! There must be at least one true man among you?" Without great interest, Naoe glanced quickly at the centre of the crowd: a bushi stood there, or rather someone masquerading as a bushi. Naoe only had to notice the way the man was standing, to conclude he didn't know much about the bushido. The sword might even not be his own. The man was proud and arrogant.

"I'll offer one tael _(1)_ if someone can beat me!" He said. "Which one of you wants to answer my challenge?" A man stepped forward from the crowd. Naoe glanced quickly at him but found him as measly as the ranter. Anyway, people fighting for money were curs. You fought for honour or to protect people. That was the spirit of bushido.

The two men began their fight and Naoe observe it with detached eyes. You could say they were as bad as the other. Even bare-handed, Naoe could have easily beaten them both. The first bushi eventually made the other fall and put his blade on the other man's neck. The looser didn't insist and stood up. He left with the crowd's boos. Naoe sighed while the bushi resumed his ranting. He had wasted enough time here, he had more important things to do. He turned his back and was leaving when the bushi called him suddenly. "Hey you, with the brown kimono! Are you so afraid to face me that you're turning your heels?"

Naoe turned his head in his direction and cast him a cold and disdainful gaze. How did such a despicable man dare to call him a coward? Naoe smiled balefully and turned fully to him. Unaware of the danger awaiting for him, the bushi faced him, sword in hand. Naoe was going to unsheathe his own sword when he suddenly reminded Kenshin's words: _You mustn't kill anyone_. Naoe narrowed his eyes but his hand left the sword. No matter what happened, he would respect Kenshin's will. That being so, he had other weapons.

The bushi lunged at him, certain of his victory. "You should have used your sword!" He shouted before striking a lateral swing. Naoe suddenly smiled, a smile that didn't bode well for his opponent, and the air seemed to explode all around him. The so-called bushi was thrown several meters away, his weapon blowing off from his hand. The crowd was silent and everyone was looking at Naoe with awe. Naoe straightened with dignity and walked away without saying a word. He could hear curses and swearing from his opponent but he didn't care at all. "How come," he thought, "the gods could let a fool like him live while I had to die? Had I remained alive, I would have changed the world much more than him." He shook his head. Gods' ways were only gods' ways. The mortals couldn't expect to understand them. Gods stroke down the proud warrior but let the foul crook live.

He suddenly felt someone following him and he cast a brief look behind his shoulder: the defeated bushi was trudging on his wake, his sword in hand. Naoe frowned. It seemed that man didn't want to accept his defeat. But that wasn't his problem: he had a much more noble mission waiting for him. Kenshin may have forbidden him to kill people but if that bushi attacked him, he would have no other choice but defend himself... Naoe's mouth twisted into a cold smile. He only had to wait.

XxX

Before entering the tavern, Naoe looked behind him and was almost disappointed that the bushi hadn't followed him. Had he given up taking revenge or had he collapsed on the way? Naoe didn't know and, considering, it didn't matter anymore. He entered the tavern, regretting once again that the former owner of his body hadn't been tidier. As soon as he would have time, he would change his kimono and maybe even take a long bath. Normally, since he was dead, he shouldn't have to worry about his physical aspect but he felt that Kenshin's representatives shouldn't look like rag and bone men. The acrid smell of the tavern immediately invaded his throat and he missed the fresh air outside. He looked at the closed faces around him but didn't recognise anyone. He briefly closed his eyes and focused his mind: he could feel the vital energy of the people around him, an energy that seemed to flow in the bodies and even in plants or animals. Then he saw a stronger glimmer in the far end, an incredible energy that inspired him some reverence for a short moment. Then he opened his eyes and saw a couple of men. They were in a corner and didn't seem to want to attract any attention. He stared at them and found him observed in return. He came closer to them and his eyes passed from one to another, trying to determine which one was Kagetora. Both men seemed to be in their thirties, badly shaved, with dishevelled and greasy hair as though they had spend a lot of time in a forest. Their kimonos were dirty and one of them even had a hole at the sleeve. They wore swords that were a little too shining compared to their aspect: surely they had been stolen. Naoe was bemused to think that the so proud and arrogant Kagetora had been reduced to steal his blade.

"I'm Naoe Nobutsuna, son of Naoe Sanetsuna," he said. "Following Kenshin-kou's orders, I come to assist Kagetora-sama." He had not whispered but he didn't talk too loudly, aware that he spoke too many dangerous names. He waited for a reaction to his introducing, still wondering which one was Kagetora. He would have bet on the one who seemed to listen to him. After all, it was the right behaviour for a lord welcoming his vassal. The other one was sitting at the table and almost with his back turned to them, and he still had his glass of sake in hand.

"I'm Irobe Katsunaga," the man he believed to be Kagetora said. "I have known your father since he joined Kenshin-sama's house. I am honoured to work with you, Naoe-dono." Naoe bowed, secretly delighted to team up with one of Kenshin's former general rather than one of Kagetora's henchmen. Had Irobe been still alive during the Otate no Ran, no doubt he would have supported Kagekatsu.

The other man violently put down his glass on the wooden table. He turned to Naoe at last and cast him a burning gaze. Irobe tried to calm him. "Kagetora-dono, remember that..."

"I remember very well," the young man replied. He looked Naoe up and down. "You're the one who led my brother's army at Samegao Castle _(2)_," he said in a hateful tone.

Naoe smiled with contempt. "Well, it wasn't very difficult. You really were no match for me and..."

Kagetora suddenly lunged at him and seize him by the collar. Naoe lifted an eyebrow. What did he believe he would do? "I should kill you!" Kagetora hissed.

Naoe didn't struggle. In any case, Kagetora didn't seem to go through with his threat. "You forget that Kenshin-kou has chosen me to protect you," Naoe said mockingly. "Are you going against his orders, Kagetora-sama?"

The remark hit the bull's eye. Kagetora released him and clenched his fists. "I don't need someone like you to protect me!" He said in a furious tone.

"You should tell this to Kenshin-kou then," Naoe insisted. "Meanwhile, I'm following his orders faithfully. Don't you?"

The last words were an innuendo as well as an insult. Naoe was implying Kagetora was and had always been a traitor to Kenshin's will. Kagetora had always known that many people from Kenshin's entourage had never trusted him because he was a child from the Houjou clan. Only Kenshin and Kagekatsu had seemed to trust him. But Kagekatsu had declared war after their father's death. Only Kenshin remained and Kagetora was very afraid to disappoint him.

"Very well," he said in a gruff tone. "If it's Kenshin-sama's will..."

Naoe straightened his kimono with a slight smile at the corner of the lips. The first part of his plan was perfectly executed. Now he would be able to watch Kagetora's actions. "I won't let you get in Kagekatsu-sama's way," he thought. "I will protect him from you."

Watching the two men, Irobe shook his head. No doubt the next days would be hectic with those two.

_**To be continued...**_

Notes:

1. Tael: _the currency from that time_

_2. Samegao Castle: where the Otate no Ran ended with Kagetora's suicide_


	4. Chapter 3

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter Three**_

Night was falling on the forest. Irobe finished stirring rice and turned to his fellow travellers. "It's ready," he announced. Naoe nodded but Kagetora didn't seem to have heard. Irobe laid down silently a bowl of rice and chopsticks before him. Since Naoe had joined them, Kagetora had seemed to be in a deep silence, from which he emerged only to tell Kagekatsu's former vassal some crushing remarks. Naoe usually only raised an eyebrow, and it seemed to infuriate even more the younger man. But since a few days, Kagetora's depression had worsened to the point he didn't even blame Naoe anymore. Irobe watched carefully his lord taking mechanically the rice bowl and the wooden chopsticks. Kagetora's eyebrows met and his hands suddenly froze, then fell slowly, almost dropping the bowl. The young man's lips let escape a soft whisper: "... not my hands."

Irobe sighed and sat on the other side of the fire. He understood what Kagetora was feeling. Because of the flight from Sado Island, they hadn't had time to realise their new state, but they had slowly been struck by a sort of melancholy when thinking about the fact they were in another body. After all, the bodies had housed another soul before them, and they were responsible for the ousting of those souls. Irobe could only pray for the former owner of his body to know the flames of purification before getting reincarnated. He didn't want to think that the soul who had once lived in his body could be wandering in the world of the living, unable to reach the afterworld and thus condemned to disappear for good. No, Kenshin wouldn't permit such a thing. And even without thinking about the fate of the souls they have ousted, there was still the strangeness of being in another body. Irobe clearly remembered his first life. His body had been strong and well trained, but there had been a pain in his joints whenever the weather was rainy, or his hip which had been hurting because of an old injury. It was incredible to find himself in a new young body, where all that pain no longer existed.

The former general cast a quick glance at Naoe, who was eating quietly. Although Naoe seemed to be the less affected, Irobe was with him when the former vassal had seen his new face for the first time. Irobe had thought Naoe had obliterated the fact he lived in a new body, but when the man had seen his reflection in a stream, he had remained frozen for a long time, then had shuddered. Since then, he had seemed deep in thought, but he was less depressed than Kagetora. Irobe's gaze returned to his lord, who had still not touched his rice. He smiled slightly. To be so much affected by a body change, Kagetora must really be a sensitive person.

Kagetora wasn't paying any attention to the world around him. His gaze was locked on his hands, _these_ hands that didn't belong to him. He closed his eyes not to see them any longer. These hands were always reminding him it wasn't his body. He saw them all the time; it was the part of his body he saw the most often. Without meaning to, he suddenly thought of his brothers and of the Houjou clan. The seven brothers were all physically different but they had at least one thing in common: their long thin and elegant hands, despite the intensive use of sword and bow. When he was a child, Kagetora had often compared his hands to his brother Ujiteru's, desperate because his hands seemed only miniature replicas of his brother's. Ujiteru used to laugh then and to pat his head, saying he would soon grow. When he had came back after his adoption by the Takeda clan, he had been able to hold proudly his brother's hands in his own and to see the difference had diminished.

Small hands... Kagetora felt his throat tighten. His son also had the Houjou's hands. The first time he had held him in his arms, he had noticed the thin hands with perfect nails. He had never wanted to be a father before. If it had been up to him, he wouldn't have ever married someone. Sleeping with his wile had been an appalling experience which had brought back painful memories and which had left him feeling dirty. He had visited the marriage-bed only a few times, and totally stopped when she had finally been pregnant. At that time, he had only listened to his advisers who had told him to get quickly a heir. And Kenshin had also wanted grandchildren. Thus Kagetora had given in, but when he had seen his son with the hands of the Houjou clan, he had been filled with tenderness and respect for the miracle of life. He had spent more time with his son than his wife, feeling for the first time like he had a family and a home. "Was he still alive, he would have been... sixteen this year," he thought sadly. Everything had been destroyed with the Otate no Ran. Trapped in the Samegao castle, Kagetora had chosen to save his son at least, hoping against hope that Kagekatsu would let his nephew live... Fool's hope. The small troop had been ambushed and the child had been killed without mercy. When Kagetora had learned the sad news, he had lost all hope of winning. Victory would have brought him nothing. He didn't have a home and a family anymore. It was perhaps that feeling of hopelessness and loneliness that had led him to become a vengeful spirit.

From the corner of his eye, Kagetora saw Naoe leave the glade when they were camping. It was surely to relieve himself. Kagetora shivered as the body he possessed was urging him to do the same. No, he would never get used to this. It wasn't his body, his hands and his... penis. Urinating was extremely difficult because he had to hold this _thing._ It didn't help him to shake off his melancholic state, quite the contrary. He decided to rather concentrate on the mission. "When will we arrive at the village of Yude?" He asked Irobe.

The former general seemed surprised to hear him, but he bowed his head and said: "In two days, Kagetora-dono. We shall see then if the rumours are founded or not."

When they had been at Shibata, they had heard about a village deserted because its inhabitants thought it haunted. So it was a perfect opportunity for them to test their new powers and to begin their mission. Thus they had travelled across the forest, even though they didn't really know what to expect.

Kagetora was still a little confused: he had already led men to battles, but never to exorcise spirits. However, he believed it would be nearly the same. A fight was a fight; only the weapons were different. He was still unsure about his power. Oh, of course, during their escape from Sado Island, he had been able to gain knowledge of his new power of telekinesis, but he had never fought a spirit. A part of him was looking forward to it: he wanted to know whether he shaped up. He also wanted to do something, anything to make him stop thinking about his status as a possessor.

Irobe seemed to feel his mood because he said suddenly: "I think it's time to train," he said, taking a heavy stone in his hand. Kagetora sighed mentally, but he was grateful for the diversion. Irobe looked at the stone in his hand and it suddenly rose up in the air. It levitated a moment then suddenly dashed to Kagetora. The younger man frowned slightly and the stone stopped a few inches from his face. It hovered, as if hesitating, while the two men were struggling to take control over it. Irobe suddenly breathed out and lost his control over the pebble. The stone flew back at him then, and he inhaled again to regain his focus. The stone stopped near his face.

This strange exchange went on until Naoe came back. "We will save the spiritual world by throwing pebbles," he flouted. Kagetora cast him a hateful gaze that made him lost his concentration: the rock came dangerously close to his face. However, at the last second, he won over the mental hold and sent it deliberately to Naoe. The latter raised an eyebrow and the stone stopped between them. Kagetora turned to him completely and focused his will. Worried, Irobe watched the stone vibrating between the two men. If one of them lost his concentration now, he would be badly hit. What was a mere training at the beginning was now a deadly game. But neither of the two men would stop first, and Irobe was unable to regain control of the pebble. He wasn't strong enough. Kagetora's will, enhanced with Naoe's, exceeded his own powers by far.

Although they hadn't moved for five minutes, the two men were in a sweat. Their gazes were locked on each other and neither of them seemed to want to surrender. Irobe was beginning to wonder if it would last all night, when Kagetora suddenly cried raucously. The stone flew to Naoe like an arrow. The other possessor widened his eyes and only had the time to duck, to avoid this fatal attack. Then he straightened and looked at his lord with a gaze that didn't bode well. Irobe felt it was time to intervene. "We would better go to sleep," he advised. "We will need all our strength when we reach the village."

His gaze never leaving Naoe, Kagetora nodded. Naoe looked back at him, then he turned disdainfully his back to him, to lie down. Irobe sat by the fire to keep the first watch. He saw Kagetora had also lay down, his back to the fire and Naoe. The former general chuckled. "Ah, youngsters these days!" He said. Although they were presently of the same age, Irobe could feel the difference between them and him. He had been able to live his life fully, a long life that had ended too soon -- of course -- but still he had been able to do many things he was proud of. But these two boys... Reaped in their prime, before they had even been able to achieve anything... How it might be infuriating for them to be back in the world of the living, but not really a part of it. How they might hate the cause and circumstances of their death. No wonder they both became vengeful spirits. They could not yet renounce to this world. And their actual situation was worse than anything. Anyway, they would get used to it. Irobe didn't doubt it. The only thing they had in common was their loyalty to Kenshin, and it would help them to move forward.

XxX

When the village was in sight, they all felt it. Irobe lift a hand to his nose, even though he knew it would be useless. Naoe frowned and Kagetora cried aloud: "Where does this vile smell come from?"

"It may be the marker of wandering spirits," Irobe guessed. Without conferring, they used their power to feel the spiritual activity of the place. They ascertained the rumour of the haunted village was founded.

"Look over there," Kagetora suddenly said lowly. They all turned their gaze in the direction of the village centre and could see a dark mass prowling in the streets. It was strange: on the outskirts of the village, they could clearly see isolated spirits with a human form. But closer to the village centre, the spirits seemed to lost their appearance and blend in the darkness.

"So this is our enemy," Naoe said.

"What are we going to do, Kagetora-dono?" Irobe asked.

Kagetora kept silent for a moment. This was what he feared. Of course, he had to command them, but how? He decided to act as if their enemy was physical, and not spiritual. "Let's attack the core of spirits," he said. "We will aim for this dark mass in the first place."

He could have bet Naoe would object. "Given that we have yet to test our new powers of exorcism, wouldn't it be better for us to first attack isolated spirits?" He suggested.

For a brief moment, Kagetora thought about his son fleeing away from Samegao Castle while Naoe's troops pursued him. "They are a coward's methods!" He accused sharply. "We won't act this way." Naoe didn't reply.

The three Yashashuu (1) entered the village. Except the numerous spirits, they could not feel any human presence in the vicinity. It was convenient to them because they didn't want to attract any attention. Curiously, the spirits didn't seem to pay heed to them. In the narrow alleys, the possessors could see them fly close to them without any reaction.

"They might believe we are spirits too," Irobe whispered. "We don't look like humans for them."

"So they don't suspect us," Naoe concluded.

Kagetora didn't say a word and simply walked straight toward his goal. His two protectors followed him in silence. They arrived at the heart of the village, where the concentration of spirits was the strongest. A black filament spread out to them without touching them and without any visible threat. It rather seemed asking. Kagetora closed his eyes and let his instincts take over. He had never performed an exorcism, but he felt that the knowledge was in him, near the constant warm core bearing Bishamonten's mark. He crossed his hands in an intricate symbol. Behind him, Naoe and Irobe did the same. "_Bai_!" Kagetora shouted. They felt a protective sphere growing around them... and around the village. The spirits eventually realised that something was wrong. Yet none of them attacked the newcomers. Instead, they tried to cross the barrier. Some of them eventually understood where the barrier came from and they wade into the three possessors.

Naoe saw a spirit heading straight toward him and he instinctively raised his hands before him. A barrier appeared around him, a smaller barrier which disappeared as soon as the spirit recoiled without being able to hurt the man. "A protective wall," he whispered in awe. It would take some time before he knew the full extent of his powers and, more importantly, their limits. He resumed his first stance and waited for Kagetora to start the exorcism, which happened quickly.

"_**Ari nari tonari anaro kunabi nabi.**_" Sanskrit words flowed naturally from the young man's mouth, as if he had done it all his life. There was not the slightest hesitation nor the slightest stuttering. Each word was pronounced with conviction and strength... and the effects were quite rapid. Blue flames appeared around the young man, but he didn't seem to suffer. Now he was thinking about it, Naoe himself was surrounded by orange flames, but he didn't feel any burning sensation. "It seems it's another manifestation of our powers," he thought, but for the moment, he had to fight the spirits.

A vortex of light had opened in the sky and was pulling in spirits, who were struggling in vain. However, the process wasn't fast enough and the ghosts finally realised they were attacked. Naoe could feel them converge towards them, ready to strike back. He turned to face a wave of assailants, and he burst into the exorcism song. He saw Irobe do the same from the corner of his eye, but would it be enough?

Kagetora's power seemed to expand suddenly and Naoe marvelled a moment at the young man's power. He tried to intensify his own energy but he felt he wasn't at the same level as his lord. A brief moment, he felt a pang of self-despite, but he had to focus again on the ongoing exorcism. Kagetora had weakened the largest mass of spirits, but Irobe and Naoe had still a lot of ghosts to fight. Naoe suddenly heard his lord's voice conclude: "_**Bai**_!" And the telling sensation almost disappeared. Naoe gritted his teeth and eventually complete the sending of spirits in the other world. Then he turned to Irobe who seemed to had got by, even though it took a little longer.

At last, the village was quiet again. But this time, the quietness was natural. All the spirits had vanished, banned in the other world where they could eventually be purified. Kagetora caught his breath, and a bit of pride skimmed through him: they had completed their first exorcism. He now was more confident he could quickly fulfill the mission entrusted to him by his father. Hopefully, he wouldn't even need to possess another body; this one would be enough. He turned to his two aids and praised them: "You have fought well. This village is now free of spirits."

"I didn't think it would be so easy," Irobe mused. "I would have expected more difficulties."

"The spirits didn't know who we were at the beginning," Naoe intervened. "It may not be so easy next time."

Kagetora shrugged. What mattered to him now was this victory.

XxX

They spent the night in the deserted village and, the day after, they took the road again to the neighbour village. They thought that the deserted village's inhabitants may have found refuge there and that they would be surely relieved to learn they could return home.

"However," Irobe insisted, "we mustn't tell them what we did. We will simply tell that we didn't see any spirits when we were at their village. Don't forget we had to act secretly." Kagetora nodded, but Naoe regretted that he wouldn't receive the villagers' gratitude.

The second village was the exact opposite of the first: it was a lively place and people seemed happy with their lot. There was even a market at the centre. "I can see some spirits," Kagetora said while looking for an inn.

Irobe and Naoe nodded. "Maybe spirits that come from the other village," Irobe suggested. "However, they don't seem dangerous, unlike the other ones."

"Isn't our task to purify every spirit?" Kagetora asked sharply. "We can make no exception."

"We shouldn't attract attention either," Naoe intervened.

Kagetora looked daggers at him. He would have liked to make a sharp comment, but they had already arrived at the inn. Kagetora came in first, followed by Irobe and Naoe, then took place at a table. A waitress came quickly to take their order. When she returned with a carafe of sake, Kagetora said casually: "What happened to the neighbour village?"

The waitress started and nearly dropped her trail. Then she leaned in and said in a low voice: "The village is said to be haunted, sirs. All the inhabitants have left because they could no longer live there."

"Isn't it curious," Irobe said. "We have spent last night there and we didn't notice anything strange."

All the conversations suddenly stopped in the room. Every gaze was on them. The waitress seemed dubious. "You didn't see any ghost? Nothing plagued you while you were sleeping? My sister used to live in that village and she told me she couldn't even sleep because spirits were tugging her futon in the middle of the night. The spirits happened also to appear in daylight!"

"We didn't see anything like that," Kagetora said, taking a sip of sake. "It seemed to be a place like any others, except it was deserted."

Conversations suddenly resumed with animation. Kagetora smiled slightly when he heard people talking about sending an expedition to the village, to make sure it was free of spirits. No doubt that village would soon get back its inhabitants.

They left the inn a hour later, after having booked a room. The innkeeper hadn't seemed very happy to rent them a room, and Kagetora had realised their aspect wasn't very engaging. Oh, of course they had washed themselves but they had not shaved, and their clothes indicated a hectic life. When they walked by a stand, Kagetora noticed that Naoe was looking closely at the displayed hakamas. He smiled softly and pick up a ligature(2) from his belt. "Naoe!" He called. The young man turned his head towards him, surprised by the call and especially because Kagetora's voice didn't carry its usual venom. Kagetora threw him the coins and Naoe grabbed them without thinking, then he got puzzled. "I'm counting on you to by us some new clothes. Irobe and I are going to investigate about these spirits." Naoe nodded and entered the shop. Kagetora motioned to Irobe to follow him.

They walked to the outskirts of the village, on a hill from where they could see it wholly. They made sure nobody had followed them. "I think these spirits are different from the ones we fought yesterday," Irobe said. "You can see they don't harm the living. The two parties seem to coexist while ignoring each other."

"It's not because they have never attacked that they will never do it," Kagetora countered.

"True, but don't we have legends about protective spirits that we should revere?"

Kagetora chewed his lower lips. Irobe had a point here, but yet... "In this case, how to tell the difference?" He asked aloud.

"How do we know if a man is a friend or a foe?" Irobe said with a smile. "For this, you have to watch his actions."

Kagetora sat in the grass, sighing deeply. "We will never see the end of this if we have to wait for days to determine if a spirit is good or bad."

Irobe smiled, bemused. "I think there must be a quicker way, but we don't know yet. It will come with experience."

Kagetora suddenly turned to him, his eyes very serious. "How long do you think it will take us?" He asked.

"What are you talking about?"

"Our mission."

"Ah..." Irobe looked up at the spring sky. "I don't really know, but I'm ready to devote the necessary time to it."

"So am I!" Kagetora replied, as if Irobe had hinted he could give up. "I was just wondering... If we would have to... possess another body."

Irobe kept silent. It was a difficult question. None of them could accept the idea of stealing bodies, but it was the only way for them to accomplish their mission. "For the moment, our bodies are still young and strong," Irobe said. "The issue won't arise before several years. We will be more experienced then, and we will have a better overview of our mission. You may ask me the same question then."

Kagetora looked away, as if moping. Irobe felt suddenly very young. He had a vast knowledge of life, but not of _this_ life. Like his lord, he was discovering their new condition. Yet Kagetora seemed to rely on him and on his experience. Irobe didn't want to disappoint him, but he didn't want to lie either.

"For now, only our mission matters," Kagetora suddenly said. "We will only deal with hostile spirits. We mustn't disperse our efforts to the four winds."

Irobe nodded. With each day passing, Kagetora seemed to be really the man of the situation, and Kenshin's choice was more and more justified.

_**To be continued...**_

_Why the stones? I think that even though Bishamonten had awoken their powers, they couldn't learn how to master it in one day. At first, they used their telekinesis instinctively -- Kagetora with the keys, and Naoe with the bushi -- but they must have needed some training to master it. And the pebble duel is a nod towards the first episode, when Naoe shells Takaya with gravels, to force him to use his powers._

_Notes:_

_(1)It's the name of the five possessor. Yasha stands for Bishamonten's warriors._

_(2)At that time, coins were round and pierced with a hole. To carry them, you threaded them on a string._


	5. Chapter 4

_As always, thanks for all the reviews._

XxX

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter Four**_

They only stayed two days at the village, waiting for the expedition sent to Yude to return with good news. Then they had taken the road again, on the look-out for any rumour about evil spirits or haunted places. However, being on the roads all the time was beginning to weigh on them, but none of them would want to be the first to complain.

"Kagetora-dono," Irobe said one evening, "We need to settle in, at least for some time."

"Why?"

"We'll soon run out of money. We'll have to work."

Kagetora remained silent. He would have never thought of working. He came from a noble family so he had always believed that money was acquired. "Very well." He would rely on the former general.

"We'll ask at the next village if workers are needed. We are in harvest time so they are surely looking for day labourers."

Kagetora felt asleep while wondering how it was to work.

XxX

Irobe was right: as soon as they arrived at the next village, they were hired to help with rice harvest. The owner of the field even offered them his barn for them to sleep in. They began to work almost immediately and Kagetora remained alone before the rice field, with dangling arms, not knowing where to start. First, he didn't understand why the rice field was dried out. He had always seen flooded fields during his first life, when he had been riding his horse on the roads. He cursed Irobe and Naoe who were working at the farm to beat rice. That work seemed more easy.

He suddenly heard a female laugh behind him, and turned quickly. A young peasant girl was also harvesting and she had put a hand to her mouth to hide her smile. "Do you want me to show you how to do it?" She asked bluntly.

Kagetora was offended that she talked to him so casually, then he remembered he was just a vagabond. "Yes, please," he said humbly.

Still smiling, the girl showed him how to cut the long yellow stems at the right length, then to tie them into sheaves so that air could circulate. Then she watched him imitating her and she chuckled when his fingers got tangled up with the string while knotting. The second sheaf was better than the first, and the girl congratulated him.

"My name is Megumi," she introduced herself. "I'm the owner's daughter. Maybe we'll meet again in the fields." Then she went to continue her harvest while Kagetora did the same.

In the evening, he was beyond tired, even more than if he had ridden for days without resting. He didn't understand why, he had only bent and walked the whole day. He watched discreetly his companions at dinner and didn't notice anything with Naoe. The man was sitting straight and eating neatly, as if he was still at Kagekatsu's court. On the contrary, Irobe was complaining in a low voice that his body had never hurt so much since his first training.

Kagetora suddenly felt a slight tap on his shoulder and he turned his head. Megumi smiled mischievously at him while laying down a dish of broth on the table. "You'd better to eat," she advised him. "You'll need strength tomorrow."

Kagetora mumbled a 'thank you'. When he looked again at his companions, he saw Irobe with a bemused smile. "Ah, it's good to be young..."

Kagetora blushed, a little offended by the former general's comment. "Don't forget that Kenshin-sama has forbidden us to sleep with women," he whispered.

"So that we can't create a new life, yes. But you're allowed to flirt a little."

Kagetora grumbled but didn't reply. He had no intention to woo a girl, no matter how pretty she might be. Their mission came first. Besides, they would only stay here for the harvest, and after that, they would be on the road again.

XxX

A few days later, while Kagetora was still in the rice fields, he saw a soldiers troop passing. He stopped his work and frowned, watching them. They weren't Kagekatsu's soldiers because he didn't recognize their arms. Yet this area was still in Echigo, albeit nearly at the eastern border of Kenshin's state. Behind him, Megumi noticed his bother. "What's the problem?" She asked.

"Whose soldiers is it?"

Dazed, she looked at him. "They are Toyotomi's men," she replied as if it was a common fact.

"You mean, Toyotomi Hideyoshi? One of the Three Unifiers (1)?" Megumi rolled her eyes, as if telling him 'do you know another one?'. Kagetora was incensed by this news. "We're on the Uesugi's lands, so I don't understand why..."

"No more," Megumi interrupted him. Kagetora could only look at her with astonishment, refusing to believe what she had just said. Megumi insisted: "Uesugi has surrendered to Oda and he has yielded this area. It happened when I was very young. You really didn't know about it?"

The question was embarrassing. Kagetora had spent several years as a vengeful spirit, then he had gone in the other world to respond to Kenshin's call. He would never have thought that so much could have change in such a short time. So, his brother hadn't been able to hold out against Oda? Kagetora took some satisfaction in it, mixed with bitterness. If Kagekatsu hadn't wanted power for himself, if he had shared Kenshin's legacy with his brother as their father would have wanted, then none of this would have happened.

"Didn't you regret it?" He suddenly asked Megumi.

She seemed puzzled. "Huh?"

"You're no longer protected by the Uesugi."

The girl waved flippantly. "Oh, you know... It doesn't matter who rules us, as long as he doesn't demand too high taxes..."

Kagetora was shocked by her detachment. "But it's important to know who leads you!"

"Yes, only to know what name to hail when soldiers are marching," Megumi answered, smiling. "But otherwise, it's all the same to us."

Kagetora kept his mouth shut, but he couldn't understand such an unconcern. On the other hand, Megumi was just a girl, so it was natural that she wasn't interested in politics. He shouldn't believe that everyone was thinking like her. Or so he hoped.

In the evening, while they were alone, he couldn't help but share this bad news with his companions. "Did you know this land no longer belongs to Kagekatsu?" He announced without any hesitation. He carefully watched his companions' reactions. Naoe was looking properly shocked, but Irobe merely sighed. "You knew it," Kagetora accused the latter.

"I heard it some times ago," the former general confessed. "It's sad to see the world changing around us. Everything we took for granted is no more than dust."

"How Kagekatsu could have surrendered to Oda?" Kagetora got indignant. "Father's dream was to unify Japan. How Kagekatsu could hope to pursue this dream if he yields the lands our father worked so hard to conquer?"

"You surely think you would have done better than him?" Naoe threw coldly at his face.

Kagetora looked daggers at him. Since they were at the farm, Naoe had hardly said a word, and it was fine with Kagetora. On one hand, he wanted to show Naoe what his former master had done, in order to prove Kagekatsu's ineptitude. On the other hand, he would have liked to show it to Kenshin, so that his father would finally realize Kagekatsu didn't deserve his trust. "Yes!" He answered immediately

Irobe shook his head. "According to what I've heard, and I've been told by an old soldier who took part in the battle, Kagekatsu-dono had no choice. It was either a surrender, or a complete loss by Oda's armies. Kagekatsu-dono has chosen a peaceful and diplomatic solution." He smiled with nostalgia. "Kenshin-sama didn't conquer his lands in one day. I was at his side when he had seized the power, so I can tell you with certainty that there have been times when he had to back off, only to move forward later."

Silence followed his words. Without saying anything, Kagetora turned his back to them and went to bed. He didn't understand how a defeat could be profitable. You had to win and win and never retreat. It was the only way to achieve one's goal. Kagetora had to retreat during the Otate no Ran, he had even wanted to negotiate with his brother by sending his own son as a token of peace. But Doumanmaru had been killed, his peace refused and he had lost everything. No, you mustn't retreat. If you showed the slightest weakness to your enemy, he would immediately lung at your throat. Kagetora tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep, and when he finally nodded off, he woke up immediately because he thought he heard a child crying. The dawn was grey and there was no noise in the barn, only the occasional creaks of wood. Kagetora could just as well be the last being in the world, the survivor of an apocalypse.

XxX

Night had fallen on the countryside. Kagetora discreetly left the barn while his two companions were sleeping. He needed to relieve himself. He had eventually resigned himself to his new body and its needs, although it was still far from pleasant for him. After urinating, he closed his hakama and gazed at the vegetable landscape. He smiled slightly. During his former life, he never had the chance to go out alone at night. Had he expressed the slightest desire to go out, twenty bushis would have immediately offered to go with him. Yes, it was hard to be alone when you were high-born. Of course, there were always servants, but they didn't matter. However, there was still one or two ambitious bushis who were on the look-out for his every desire or who would have willingly offered to be his anibun(2). Kagetora shook his head. Yes, he was better off with this common body.

He gazed a moment at the still starry sky above the rice fields, enjoying the quietness and the seclusion. He suddenly sensed a presence behind him and turned around quickly, expecting to see Irobe or Naoe. So he was very surprised to see a smiling Megumi. He frowned. "What are you doing outside?" He asked in a dry tone.

The girl winced but her good mood prevailed. "I wanted to go for a walk," she said casually. "Want to go with me?"

Kagetora's lips twitched in a flat line. "I don't think your father would be pleased to see you outside in the middle of the night, let alone with one of his workers!"

Megumi opened her eyes wide then burst out laughing. "Gee! You come from a big city or what? Here, in the countryside, girls are free. We are not our fathers' slaves, they don't marry us only to expand their lands."

Kagetora looked at her cautiously. He had no way of knowing if what she said was true, or if she just took advantage of his cluelessness. In doubt, he had better returning to the barn.

But Megumi suddenly took a conspiratorial look and whispered: "We could go to the haunted farm... unless you're too afraid?"

If Megumi wanted to hurt his male pride, she would be disappointed. For Kagetora, the mission entrusted by his father was more important than everything, even more important than his pride. No, what attracted the young possessor's attention was only the word 'haunted'. When they had arrived in the area, it was true they didn't use their powers to sense any unusual spiritual activity. It wasn't a reflex yet, and that could be dangerous if they don't acquired it quickly. Although... Kagetora shrugged. The spirits weren't organized enough to plan an attack on them. "It's a stupid mission," Kagetora thought, then he flayed himself for doubting Kenshin's decision.

Megumi suddenly pulled him by the arm, seeming impatient. "So, you're coming or not? You're not really talkative, you know? You scare me when you remain silent like this..."

"I'm coming," the young man said firmly. Megumi smiled at him and led him to the underbrush.

XxX

The famous haunted farm wasn't very far. Megumi seemed to know the path very well, so Kagetora supposed it wasn't her first time going there. Whether she had said the truth about countryside girls, she didn't seem likely to let herself be locked at home. When the farm was outlined against the night sky, agetora paused and used his powers. He didn't perceive anything unusual and felt like turning back. If the farm wasn't haunted, it was of no interest for him. But Megumi suddenly grabbed him by the arm and pulled him. "Hurry up!" She urged him. "Or else the ghosts will be tired to wait for us!" She didn't really seemed scared. It was the proof that this haunted farm's story was nothing more than a local legend.

"It doesn't seem haunted to me," he mumbled between his teeth.

Megumi turned to him and put her fists on her hips. "Really? So you're a ghost expert, maybe?" Kagetora didn't reply and Megumi resumed her walking. She opened the ramshackle door, which caused a loud and unsettling grind in the silence of the night. Then the girl looked back at him, her black eyes sparkling, and she said with a daring smile: "So, are you entering or are you too scared?"

Kagetora sighed mentally. He had no time to waste with a child's whims. He was ready to turn back for good, when he suddenly sensed something, the flashing of a spiritual presence. He frowned. It was strange. Maybe he hadn't come for nothing. Therefore he entered the farm without hesitation, and Megumi followed him, a little surprised by his change of mind.

The place seemed to have been deserted for years. There was a thick layer of dust on the floor, along with some detritus. No furniture was here anymore, and the empty rooms added to the sinister atmosphere of the house. Kagetora walked across them without giving them more than one quick glance. He was entirely focused on his new sensation, seeking the spiritual presence he had only sensed a brief moment. He couldn't have imagined it.

"People say," Megumi began behind him, "that the farmer was enrolled in the Uesugi army eight years ago. After the former warlord's death, his two sons fought for power." Kagetora looked at her, his dark eyes wide. It was strange to hear his own story from someone else's mouth. "The war opposing the two brothers only lasted a year and, during that time, the soldier's wife had to look after the farm and tried to cope. One day, other men from the village who were also at the war came back but... they were changed. One of them was just your age when he left and he returned with grey hair and an old man's face. Another laughed all the time, a nervous laughed that could chill your blood. Those who were still able to speak told that, after the end of the war, Kagetora's spirit had returned from the kingdom of death to excruciate them and that he had left many casualties."

Kagetora felt his cheeks redden with shame. Of course he was responsible. He had refused purification and had returned to the world of living as a vengeful spirit to torment Kagekatsu, but he had been so blinded by his hatred that he had even lashed on his brother's soldiers, striking nobles and ordinary soldiers without making any difference. This part of his existence was rather blurred, he didn't recall everything but he knew he was responsible. He knew it deep inside of him.

Not seeing his turmoil, Megumi went on: "The woman's husband wasn't with them and she didn't go to the village to ask about him. One of the soldiers finally gathered his courage and went to announce her the fateful news. He entered here but didn't see anyone. Worried, he walked through the house, like we are doing." Megumi had taken the lead and had stopped before a sliding panel. Kagetora suddenly had a bad feeling, a sort of tingling at the back of his skull. He wanted to scream at her to go away from the screen and to leave quickly this place, but it was as if he was stock-still, unable to move or speak.

The girl didn't seem to notice the strange atmosphere and she went on, delighted about her little game. "Then the soldier arrived before a last screen and saw a silhouette behind. He scratched at the panel and said: 'Madam, I have to say something to you. Your husband...' His voice trailed as he heard some crying on the other side."

Much to Kagetora's horror, a silhouette had just appeared behind the rice paper. Because Megumi had turned her back to the screen to look at him, she didn't notice anything. A slight sound could be heard, like the crying in Megumi's story. Kagetora was still unable to move. Despite what he had experimented after his death, despite what he had done in the haunted village, he could still not get used to the spiritual world and its inhabitants. A part of him, the sensible one, the one still bound to his former life, was screaming at him that it was not possible and that there was surely a logical explanation.

"The soldier decided to open the screen who slid slowly, slowly..." While talking, Megumi opened the panel She turned around slowly. "And then... he saw..." Megumi suddenly yelled when she saw a blood-drenched woman with long black hair floating around her. She screamed so much that she fainted.

Kagetora regained suddenly his capacity to move, and he lunged at Megumi to protect her. His gaze never left the spirit. The ghost had empty eyes and blood tears were flowing on her emaciated face. She was wearing a white kimono, the colour of mourning, adorned with purple spots that could only be her blood.

"My husband, where's my husband?" She said in a ghostly voice. "Give me back my husband."

Kagetora raised his hands. "_**Bai!**_" But the command didn't have the expected effect. The spirit wasn't frozen and no barrier appeared. "What does this mean?" The young possessor wondered. The ghost suddenly launched an energy wave and, stunned, Kagetora didn't think of dodging. He was knocked on the floor and straightened with difficulty. He didn't understand what was happening. When they had exorcised the spirits of the haunted village, it wasn't so difficult! Right now, not only he couldn't exorcise the ghost, but the ghost could attack him!

"It seems the rules have changed," he thought. "I need to adapt very quickly, otherwise I'll be killed!"

The ghost raised her hand again and a new wave of energy ran through the air. Kagetora was ready this time and avoided the strike by rolling to the side. He raised his hand in turn and was reassured to feel his purple blaze around him and to see a sphere of energy appearing from his palm and heading straight to the ghost lady. The woman bended because of the blow, but she straightened quickly and with no mark of the blow. The fight would be more difficult than expected.

In order to dodge another attack, Kagetora jumped to the side but the floor caved in under his feet and one of his legs was held prisoner by the broken battens. The young man tried to free his leg, in vain. The ghost slowly flew to him, like a predator ready to pounce on its prey, and she launched another energy wave. Kagetora could only look, unable to dodge it.

"Kagetora-sama!" He suddenly saw someone coming between them and raising a barrier. The attack bounced on it without making any damage. The newcomer turned to him and Kagetora fulminated when he recognized Naoe. However, he was glad he wasn't alone any longer to fight this recalcitrant spirit. In a burst of pride, he finally managed to free his leg, but he winced when he felt some splinters snicking the skin of his calf. But it wasn't important for the moment. Right now, he had to get it over with this ghost.

Kagetora watched as Naoe tried to exorcise the spirit, and felt strangely glad when the man wasn't more successful than him. "It doesn't work with her," he explained to his companion. "She's toughest than the spirits we fought at the haunted village!"

Naoe didn't panic and merely nodded. "I knew it would happen one day." Kagetora felt like shouting at him. Why hadn't he express his doubts? Then they could have developed a strategy to adopt in such circumstances. Because of Naoe and his silence, they were now forced to improvise in face of the danger. They had to act quickly and they shouldn't make any mistake.

But it seemed Naoe had also thought about it already. "We must weaken this spirit," he said firmly. "Then it won't be able to resist the exorcism any longer."

"And how are we going to weaken her?" Kagetora asked with a tone that didn't hide his sarcasm.

Naoe looked neutrally at him. "We are going to attack it relentlessly." Kagetora held back a cursing, but he had to admit it was the only possible solution. He sighed and stood up, wincing a bit when his injured leg had to support his weight.

They attacked her in turns and Kagetora was relieved to see her finally showing some signs of weakness. Her image began to be blurred, a proof she had no longer enough energy and concentration to maintain it. She gathered her forces to cast a final attack to Kagetora. Rather than worrying, the young man focused his powers and tried to raise a protective barrier, like Naoe had done. After all, they were supposed to have the same powers so there was no reason he couldn't do it! He rejoiced when the barrier appeared, distorting the space around him, and the attack was pushed back with no effort. "Interesting," he thought.

It was time for them to perform the exorcism. "If we say the words at the same time," Naoe said, "the power of the exorcism will be reinforced." Kagetora nodded. He crossed his hands and burst into the exorcism song at the same moment as his companion.

The vortex of light appeared but the ghost was still resisting. She was really clinging to this world. She crawled to them, no longer a threat. She looked up at Kagetora with pleading eyes and moaned: "Uesugi-sama... I beg you, give me back my husband!"

Kagetora nearly lost his concentration. Firstly because she had recognized him, and secondly because he pitied her. After all, it was because of him that her husband died, that she killed herself and then had waited for her husband's return. He was ashamed because he couldn't remember that man -- he had killed so many people when he was a vengeful spirit. But before he could open his mouth to say something to this woman, something to relieve her and maybe help her to choose a better reincarnation, Naoe had coldly concluded: "_**Bai!**_" And the spirit vanished before Kagetora's eyes. The vortex shone one last time then disappeared too.

A cold silence reigned then on the deserted farm. Kagetora was clenching and loosing his fists. He wanted to hit something, or rather a certain someone who was right in front of him. Naoe remained impassive. He verified that any spiritual presence couldn't be sensed anymore. Once satisfied by his inspection, he left the farm without a single word to his lord. Kagetora nearly called to him, but then Megumi moaned and that reminded the young man she was still here. His anger momentarily forgotten, he walked to her side and helped her to stand up.

"What happened?" The girl asked, at a loss.

"You fainted," he said, lying without any hesitation. "You were talking, you suddenly screamed and then fainted."

Megumi opened her eyes wide, terrified. "I saw... " She turned frantically to the empty room and stopped. Her shoulders quivered. "There is nothing," she whispered and she sounded relieved. She suddenly burst into a nervous laugh. "I thought I saw... Oh no, it doesn't matter."

Kagetora nodded. It was better for her to forget about this incident. "Let's go." He suggested. Megumi nodded and they left the farm.

When they were back at the farm of Megumi's father, she suddenly stood on tiptoe. "Thank you, Kurata," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

Kagetora was surprised by her behaviour and didn't know how to react. "Why?" He asked.

Megumi chuckled. "Because you didn't leave me alone. You stayed until I regained consciousness. You're really kind." She looked at him once more in silence, then she stepped away from him. "It's better that I go back alone," she said, waving at him. "See you tomorrow. Good night!"

Kagetora could only wave back at her and said: "Good night." When she was back in the farm, he stayed here a long time, his eyes unfocused. Then he shook himself and returned to the barn he was sharing with his companions. He was not surprised to see Irobe still sleeping. Apparently, the former general hadn't even sensed the night's events. Naoe was also laying down and seemed to be sleeping. Kagetora didn't want to wake him. He laid down and fell asleep quickly.

XxX

The harvest was finished in the rice fields, but they still had to beat the panicles to obtain the grains. If working in the rice fields had seemed exhausting to Kagetora, beating the stems was even worse. He spent hours half-bend, his thresher in his hands, and thought he would never be able to stand straight anymore. Even though he had undergone the intensive training of bushi, this mere farm work was just as intensive. Then Kagetora remembered this wasn't his body. The body had belonged to a scoundrel who hadn't been used to manual works. While he was taking a break to drink from a barrel near the barn, he watched the other workers beating the rice either with threshers, or by knocking the stems on barrels because there weren't enough tools for everyone. After that, the grains were dried under the sun and then stored in gunny bags. It was a weighty job. Kagetora had never realized that behind every bowl of rice he had eaten, there had been hours of such a backbreaking work.

He sighed and looked up at the sky. He thought about the incongruity of his present situation: he was Uesugi Kagetora, of noble birth and destined to accomplish many great things. But he was now in a farm, helping to thresh rice. He also had to forget about his dream to unify Japan with his brother's help. He ended up wandering on the roads to exorcise spirits. "I don't understand," he thought. "There must be hundreds of onmyouji in the country who are better qualified than me to deal with vengeful spirits. Why did you entrust us with this mission while others can do it, Father? Is there anything hidden under all this?"

"What are you thinking about?" Megumi said behind him. He started, surprised in deep thinking. The young girl seemed rather proud of herself. He didn't know why but she seemed to delight in coming by surprise and startling him. He reminded Irobe's insinuations but he dismissed them quickly. He had a mission so he didn't have time for this sort of things. Besides, how could such a pretty girl be interested in a man who was always on the roads? Moreover, he had already seen his own reflection and this body wasn't as beautiful as his first body, which rather relieved him. During his former life, he had been fed up with the laudatory praisings about his so-called beauty. That kind of compliments should have been said to a woman, certainly not to a man. He was sure these compliments had come from bushis who had wanted to initiate him to the wakashudo(3). Even some of his most audacious advisers had asked him why he hadn't take a lover yet(4). It was true that Kenshin had quite a sulfurous reputation, and that's why he never had any child and had to adopt his heirs, being adopted himself. People had expected Kagetora to behave the same as his father.

"Kurata?" A hand moved before his eyes. Before thinking, he caught it rather harshly. Megumi cried softly, hurt and surprised. Realizing his mistake, Kagetora freed her hand immediately.

"Sorry," he said. "I... I was deep in my thoughts..."

"Well, I see it!" Megumi rubbed her wrist. "Men are really all brutes!" She walked away while mumbling about men.

Kagetora wanted to make her stay, to explain her he hadn't meant to hurt her and that he had only confused her with an eventual enemy, but he felt that his apology wouldn't be accepted right now. He could just hope that the girl wouldn't suspect him of anything. He didn't want their mission to be reconsidered because of his clumsiness. With a heavy heart, he resumed his work.

XxX

In the following three days, Kagetora didn't see Megumi. Maybe she was still resenting him. The rice storing was finally done and the farmer gave them their salary: a dozen of candareens(5) for each of them and a bag of rice. Kagetora couldn't decide whether the salary was fair. He imitated Irobe who seemed rather satisfied. They thanked the farmer and left quickly the farm.

They had only walked for some time before they suddenly heard a call: "Kurata!"

Kagetora turned to see Megumi running to them. Behind him, Irobe chuckled. "The girl has surely come to bid you farewell, Kagetora-dono. Take a moment to talk with her."

The former general resumed his walking with Naoe, and Kagetora couldn't say anything to clear up this misunderstanding. He sighed and faced Megumi who was a little out of breath because of her running.

"I didn't know you'd leave us so soon," she said when she had caught her breath.

"I... Why would we have stayed?"

"For the harvest festivity, of course!" Megumi said. "You seem to be really in a hurry!"

Kagetora didn't say anything. He didn't know there would be a celebration, but he was sure Irobe had known it. However, the former general had decided to leave before the celebration and Kagetora understood his reasons: they had a mission so they didn't have the time to enjoy themselves. Even if they still didn't really know where they would go, they mustn't stay too long at the same place, otherwise they would become attached to people and they would be unable to complete efficiently their mission. They weren't ordinary humans so they shouldn't mix with others.

Megumi suddenly rested her hand on his arm, moving slowly so that he wasn't surprised. Kagetora looked at her, surprised by her unusual behaviour. Megumi's black eyes were shining a little too brightly. "Do you think you'll come back one day?" She asked.

Kagetora didn't want to disappoint her but he didn't want to lie to her either. "I don't know. And if I ever come back, it won't be before a long time."

Megumi lowered her eyes but she didn't ask him anything. Maybe she knew he wouldn't answer her. "Alright," she said with a resigned tone. "But can I have something to remember you?"

Surprised, Kagetora didn't understand what she was meaning. "Of course," he said, not seeing the harm in her request.

Megumi smiled at him, a tad melancholic smile which gave him the illusion that she was older now, and maybe she would really look like this in some years. She lifted her arms around his neck and kissed him. Kagetora tensed but didn't react otherwise. Some minutes later, she parted from him. "This was my first kiss," she confessed. "Thank you, Kurata. I will never forget you." Then she suddenly turned back and ran away from him. Kagetora remained here for a long moment, watching her disappear, then he caught up with his companions.

_**To be continued...**_

_Notes :__ (1) The first Unifier is Oda Nobunaga, well-known in the series, and the third is Tokugawa Ieyasu, who became later the shougun._

_(2) anibun: the seme or the dominating one in a relationship._

_(3) wakashudo: aka 'the way of the youth'. See this site for more information: /preview/Culture/Japan/japan.htm_

_(4) A warlord was expected to take a lover (or more!) among his retainers._

_(5) cadareens: the japanese currency (and also the chinese one). I'm not sure about the name in English. I'm not sure either about their true worth, and I hope the Yasha shuu haven't been underpaid!_


	6. Chapter 5

_As always, thank for the reviews. I could only reply to signed reviews. For the others, you can email me._

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter Five**_

They had left the province of Etchuu for the province of Hida, ruled by the Miki clan. "We will arrive at Takayama in two days," Irobe informed them. Kagetora nodded distractedly. He had heard that the Miki had only recently conquered this area, under Toyotomi's orders. He sighed. He knew the world was still going on without him, but it was another thing to really experience it. He couldn't help but wondering if the same events would have occurred had he defeated Kagekatsu and led Echigo. He thought about it a thousand times, made battle plans and foresaw defeats but mainly victories, as if there was another Japan in his mind. It was a different Japan but probably more peaceful than the actual country. "Although its inhabitants could have something to say about it," he thought with a bitter smile.

At all the villages they have stopped, people went about their business. No matter who ruled the area, life didn't stop. For ordinary people, their ruler was only a symbol. They had often never saw him for real. His acts didn't interfere with their lives. Kagetora couldn't understand such an attitude. He couldn't understand how people could not care about what was happening on the other side of the hill.

Since the haunted farm incident, the Yashashuu had been using systematically their powers to gauge the spiritual activity wherever they went. So far, no powerful spirit had been felt. Of course, they had come across some spirits, but since they had seemed harmless, they hadn't exorcised them. This inactivity was beginning to weigh on them. Kagetora was getting more and more impatient as days were passing without any progress in their mission. "One life won't be enough for us if we have to go all over Japan, hoping that we'll find some vengeful spirits," he thought with bitterness. "There must be another way, but how?" Even though they had gradullay increase their powers, they still felt they didn't know everything and that they needed some more theoretical education. It wouldn't be wise to wait for a new confrontation to discover new powers. However, they couldn't do anything more and it made Kagetora furious because he hated to wait in suspense.

Irobe, who was in the lead, suddenly stopped and tensed. Kagetora waited in silence for the former general to explain himself. Irobe whispered: "I feel the presence of a spirit."

Naoe and Kagetora concentrated in turn and also felt the presence. "It looks powerful," Naoe noticed.

"And evil," Kagetora completed, almost delighted. They would at last have some action.

They walked another two hours and arrived to a small village. They could see a dozen houses and a field a little further. "It will be difficult to do our work unnoticed," Irobe commented.

"I'm sure this remote area doesn't even have a name," Naoe retorted. "So it doesn't really matter if they see us using our powers."

"If we want to find the spirit, we have to question the villagers," Kagetora decided.

They suddenly heard some noise behind them and turned quickly. A young boy, no more than ten years, was standing behind them and he was so frightened by their threatening looks that he dropped the faggot he was holding. Kagetora realized their mistake and tried to reassure the child. "You have nothing to fear," he said in his most friendly tone. "We're just travellers."

The boy gulped and cast an uneasy look at the two men behind him. Kagetora followed his gaze and saw that Naoe had remained in his threatening stance. "Naoe!" He scolded him. The man glanced at him but drew back his hand from his sword. When Kagetora looked back at the boy, the latter still seemed a little afraid from them, but his fear was now mixed with curiosity. Kagetora took a step to him but it was a mistake: the child stepped back, afraid. Before Kagetora could warn him, he stumble on a root and fell over. Then the boy propped himself up an elbow, wincing, and saw his leg was bleeding a little.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Kagetora couldn't help but smile, seeing how the boy was bravely trying to hold back his tears. He quietly approached him and was glad to see that the boy was too busy being in pain than being scared of him. The young man tore a piece of his haori (1) and took his canteen to pour water on the tissue.

"It doesn't seem to be very bad," he said to the boy, who inhaled quickly when his wound met with the cold water. Once the wound was cleaned, the boy tried to stand up, but didn't succeed. Sighing, Kagetora offered: "We will walk you back to your home. Do you live far from here?"

The boy cast them a suspicious look, then answered, muttering: "In the forest, with Mom."

Kagetora was surprised to learn he didn't live in the small village. He frowned, but didn't question the boy: it would have been too rude. He gestured at Irobe to collect the scattered wood, and took on him to carry the boy on his back. He felt a pang of nostalgia. He had often carried his own son like this when he had been playing with him.

During the trip, seeing that the men he had encountered didn't seem to be oni (2), the boy brightened up and showed his curiosity: "Do you come from far away?" He asked the one who was carrying him.

Kagetora didn't see any reason to lie. "Echigo." He could feel the young boy's excitement.

"Really? But it's at the other side of the world!"

Kagetora chuckled. "Not so far, it's just the neighbour state!"

"I've never been so far as the forest," the child confessed with a sorry tone.

Kagetora nodded. He knew that peasants were seldom travelling and felt deeply connected to their lands. It was obvious that this boy would never leave the forest. Therefore, it was normal for him to be fascinated by strangers coming from far away.

They arrived in a glade where a small house was built next to a garden. The place looked a little dilapidated, and if the garden hadn't been so well-maintained, you could have believed that place had been deserted since a long time.

A woman came out from the house as soon as she saw the strangers. "Tarou!" She called out. She ran to them and uttered an horrified cry when she saw her son's scratched leg.

Kagetora felt a little responsible for the injury, so he tried to reassure her. "It's nothing. Within one or two days, he would be able to run again."

The woman looked at him at last, and smiled shyly. "Thank you for taking care of him," she said. "Let me offer you hospitality tonight. It's the least I can do."

Tarou seemed delighted by his mother's invitation. Kagetora could only accept it. They entered the humble house. There was only a single room with just a hanging to separate the bedplace from the rest of the room. The fireplace was at the center, and Irobe dropped off the faggot. Kagetora also dropped off his burden and the boy smiled at him. Without knowing why, he felt moved. The child really reminded him of his own son and it brought back the pain of having lost him.

The three men had place around the fire, as the night was falling outside. The woman, whose name was Maki, served some tea and they sipped their drinks in silence. After a while, Tarou started to speak. "Are these real swords?" He asked with an excited voice. "Have you already killed someone with them?"

"Tarou!" The mother scolded him for being so rude.

Irobe smiled softly and patted the young boy's head. "Swords are not for killing," he explained in a learned tone. "They are basically made to defend ourselves."

Kagetora had a bemused smile at seeing the former general explaining the basic principles of bushido to a child. Anyway, Irobe seemed at ease, and Kagetora felt the same. He didn't know why, but the intimate atmosphere of this house gave him the impression he had found a true home, something he had always dreamed of. Even in his castle, he hadn't felt at home. Even at Odawara... He shook his head. Something disquieted him a moment, but then Tarou turned to him to ask him about his numerous travels, and that feeling vanished.

The meal was simple but convivial. Kagetora was completely relaxed, as well as Irobe. Only Naoe remained aside, and Kagetora wondered if this man ever abandoned his serious and distant face. The other man was frowning and Kagetora saw him leaning to Irobe and whispering something in his ears. Irobe shook his head and resumed eating, but Naoe didn't seem allayed. Kagetora frowned then. Why was he wasting his time wondering about the moods of his brother's former vassal? He should better to enjoy this evening, probably one of the greatest time he had lived since his _resurrection_.

After the meal, Maki served them some sake and, of course, Tarou insisted on having a drink too. Bemused, Kagetora let him sip a little from his own drink and laughed good-heartedly when the boy coughed because of the very strong alcohol. Naoe stood up, then excused himself. Kagetora looked at him leaving the house, a little puzzled. The man hadn't parted from his stern face and had hardly eaten. Kagetora would scold him later: Naoe had insulted their hostess by refusing her hospitality.

Maki leaned to him to serve him once more, and Kagetora found himself almost hypnotised by the line of her neck that he could see in the opening of her purple kimono. His eyes got blurry for a moment and he thought he saw... He rubbed his eyes and the illusion vanished. Without knowing why, he felt a sweat drop on his forehead and an impression of discrepancy. His instinct was screaming something at him but he failed to hear it. He shook his head and decided to go outside to clear his ideas.

The night was cold but it felt good. He frowned. The last time his head had felt so heavy was when he had stayed too longer in a temple where incense had been burning overly. It was true that Maki had been burning a stick of incense to chase away mosquitoes, but it couldn't be the reason why his mind was so numb. He sighed and inhaled some of the fresh air of the night.

"So, you also felt it?" A voice said suddenly behind him.

Surprised, Kagetora swore and turned around quickly, his hand on his sword. He didn't entirely relaxed when he recognized Naoe. "Felt what?" He asked aggressively.

"There's something strange in this house... something unusual."

Strangely, this remark annoyed Kagetora. "It's just your imagination. These people are normal, just a little more hospitable than the average!"

Naoe didn't seem convinced. "I've just used my powers to probe the vicinity," he announced.

"So what?"

"There's a spiritual presence in the forest."

Kagetora rubbed his forehead with an annoyed gesture. "Yes, I know. That's why we came here, isn't it? We'll go to the village tomorrow to find out about it and..."

"The presence isn't at the village," Naoe interrupted him.

"So where is it?" Naoe pointed the house they had just left. Kagetora felt his irritation growing. This man had the cheek to suspect their hosts! "In the house, very well," he said, trying to keep his composure. "Alright, we are going to wait for our hosts to be sleeping, then we'll look for the spirit."

"We don't need to look for anything: the spirits are _our_ _hosts_."

Kagetora didn't think twice and this was probably why Naoe couldn't avoid his punch. The man stumbled and Kagetora regretted immediately his gesture, especially since he didn't understand his own reaction. "I forbid you to speak evil of them!" He said, in spite of himself. "Since you're so suspicious, you're going to spend the night outside!" He turned on his heels and returned to the house.

Naoe lifted one hand to his cheek and winced when he felt a bruise that would take time to disappear. Then he smiled slightly: it wasn't too bad for an arrogant minion. "Arrogant and especially stubborn," he thought. "Now I can only wait for our enemies to go into action." He leaned against a tree facing the house, on the alert. He was sure their enemies would attack once they were asleep. He had a long wait ahead.

XxX

Kagetora woke up suddenly because of a feeling of suffocation. He felt a weight on his chest that was hindering his normal breathing and, half-asleep, he tried to push this weight, in vain. He eventually opened his eyes and started when he saw Maki's face so close to his. "What... What are you doing?"

"What do you thing, sweetie?" She replied with a lecherous look. She surely didn't expect his panicked reaction: he unconsciously used his powers to push her away from him. Gasping, he stood up and looked at where Irobe was sleeping, near the fire. His eyes widened when he saw Tarou squatting on the former general's chest, who seemed to have difficulty breathing. However, he was still sleeping.

Tarou looked up at Kagetora and his eyes were filled with incomprehension. "Why do you hurt my mom?"

Kagetora didn't know what to say. He suddenly felt teeth on his neck. He screamed and tried to grab Maki by the head. He wanted to push her back by putting his hands on her shoulders, but his hands only met nothingness. Panicked, he looked over the head hanging at his neck, and his mind was blank for a moment. Like a serpentine filament, Maki's neck was wreathing and joined her body only a few ken(3) away: she was a rokuro-kubi(4)!

Kagetora make his blaze appear around himself and he heard the monster screaming and withdrawing her teeth. He swore when he felt blood dripping along his neck and on his shoulder. The cut might be deep. "Irobe!" He suddenly called.

The former general was now fighting against the boy who was trying to choke him. Kagetora hesitated for a brief moment before hurling an energy sphere to Tarou. He would have liked to think that the boy was innocent and that only Maki was involved, but he couldn't hide from the truth. The child fell over and Irobe could stand up, breathing heavily.

"Kagetora-dono, what's happening?"

"It's a trap," he answered bitterly.

"But they are not spirits!" Irobe objected. Kagetora didn't know what to answer. They should solve this mystery later. For the moment, they had to defeat their enemies.

Maki had now recovered and, with her son at her side, they were watching the humans with unconcealed hatred. "We won't let you hunt down our kind any longer!" Maki suddenly hissed.

Kagetora started. Could it be that these spirits were aware of their role as exorcists? So it would mean that...

He didn't have the time to think more about it: Maki lunged forward him, her head floating away from her body and blood dripping from her lips. Before he could react, a barrier had appeared around the rokuro-kubi and she was screaming in vain, trying to escape.

"Naoe!" Kagetora said. Indeed, the former vassal had arrived in the house and he didn't seem so surprised by what he was seeing. He quietly burst into the exorcism song and Maki's image wavered for a moment before completely vanishing.

Only Tarou remained, who was crying, his face no longer threatening. "Please," he begged. "Don't kill me!"

Kagetora felt his throat tightening while he remembered his own son. Had he wept like this before Kagekatsu's men killed him? Had he also begged for his life or did he die with dignity? Kagetora would never know. At least, his son had accepted the flames of purification and had already headed to another reincarnation that could only be better. He wanted to take comfort in this thought.

"He's only a child," Irobe said, at Kagetora's side. Kagetora recollected himself and saw that the former general was trying to prevent Naoe from exorcising the boy. Naoe remained unyielding, which didn't surprise Kagetora.

"Irobe," Kagetora said, even though it pained him to have to say this, "this child isn't human. He just looks like one."

"Kagetora-dono!"

Kagetora ignored him and crossed his hands to perform himself the exorcism. Tarou seemed resigned and he looked down. Kagetora felt a pang in his heart when he saw him disappear. Then he sighed.

XxX

They couldn't sleep again, even though the threat was no more. So they left this place as soon as possible. Naoe was walking ahead and Kagetora could only stare at his back. He knew he should say something to him, maybe thank you, but he couldn't do it. Instead, he said: "They didn't attack us at random." Naoe half-turned to him, listening. "They knew who we are and they entrapped us purposely."

Naoe nodded. "I was sure the spirits and other supernatural creatures would have not remained passive," he said as if it was obvious. "Our mission is going to be more difficult from now on."

Irobe still hadn't said anything and Kagetora glanced at him, puzzled. It seemed that the former general was still shocked by Tarou's exorcism.

The Yashashuu took a break in a glade, a few hours later. Naoe went to fill their canteens, and Kagetora took the opportunity to speak to Irobe. "Do you have children, Irobe?"

The man seemed surprised, taken aback by such a question, then he sighed and a nostalgic smile appeared on his lips. "Two daughters," he answered. "I would have liked to have a son... like him..."

"I had a son," Kagetora whispered. "He was almost the same age when he was killed by Kagekatsu's men." Irobe's eyes widened but he said nothing. Kagetora closed his eyes and sighed. "I would have preferred it if I didn't have to exorcise him," he confessed. "But he was our enemy."

Irobe inhaled abruptly and averted his gaze. When he looked again at Kagetora straight in the eye, his gaze seemed clearer. "I understand, Kagetora-dono," he said. "It's our mission." Kagetora nodded.

Naoe returned in a hurry. Kagetora was immediately on his guard. "Someone is coming," Naoe announced.

Kagetora nearly asked him why it was so exceptional, but he focused and sensed a spiritual presence nearing them. It wasn't a very strong presence but it was different from ordinary humans.

"Someone sent by Kenshin-sama?" Irobe whispered, having used his power too.

"We'll soon find out," Kagetora said, gritting his teeth.

There was some noise from the bushes, and a woman suddenly arrived in the glade. She was dressed like a traveller, with a walking stick in her hand. She was wearing a straw hat with a thin veil falling from the edge to cover her face. "I've found you at last," she said.

The Yashashuu were ready to fight. The woman laughed slightly and pushed aside her veil. Her dark eyes winkled and a smile stretched out her fleshy lips. "So, you are the ones the spirits are always talking to me about," she explained.

"Are you an itako(5)?" Kagetora questioned.

The woman laughed again. "No, just an onmyouji. I'm Urabe(6) and I think we can do service to each other."

_**To be continued...**_

_(1) haori:A hip- or thigh-length kimono jacket for men._

_(2) oni: monsters_

_(3) ken: the old measure system in Japan is called the Kanekaju. It was used from 701 to the 19th century, before the metric system was adopted. A shaku is roughly a feet. A ken is 6 shaku. The shaku is divided into 10 sun and a sun into 10 bu. The original definition for shaku was the distance between growth nodes on a bamboo. _

_(4) rokuro-kubi: a creature from the Japanese bestiary, with an extandable neck._

_(5) Itako: a blind woman who can talk with spirits_

_(6) Urabe: A character from Otogizoushi, an anime._


	7. Chapter 6

_I'm sorry for the lack of updates. I was too busy with real life and with the french version of _Mirage of Changes_._

_About Urabe, I don't intend to make a crossover with _Otogizoushi_, I just use the name of one of the characters. You'll see in this chapter that my Urabe is nothing like the Urabe from _Otogizoushi_._

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter Six**_

His left calf was beginning to itch. Kagetora tried to ignore it and resumed his concentration. Urabe had given him the task to created a shikigami(1), and for that he had to concentrate and picture in his mind the bird he wanted to create. Kagetora had chosen a phoenix, but it proved more difficult than expected. He had pictured in his mind all the depictions of this legendary animal, but he had felt nothing, even though he had been doing it for hours. Besides, he found it unfair to be the only one Urabe had given such a difficult task. Irobe had gone to investigate about some mysterious disappearings in the province of Echizen, and he wasn't going to return before two weeks at least. Naoe was there but remained discreet, and it seemed that Urabe was also training him, but separately.

The itching turned to irritation and the young man couldn't bear it any longer and broke his concentration to scratch his calf. He sighed. He had to do it once again from the beginning, but he didn't want to start again right now. It was late in the afternoon but the sun was still shining and he wanted to take a stroll in the city. He never had the opportunity to visit Iida, in the Shinano province, although this area was next to Echigo and that he lived there when he had been adopted by the Shingen Clan. So he wanted to visit the town. He silently left the meditation room and headed to the entrance hall. He slipped into his zori (2) and left the house where they had been living for three months.

XxX

Kagetora remembered that they had first distrusted Urabe, who seemed to know too much about them. She had told them that spirits were constantly speaking about _undead people_ who were chasing them. "I don't understand what they mean by 'undead'," she had confessed, "but it's not my business. As you know, onmyoujis' purpose is to pacify tormented spirits and to destroy evil spirits. I don't know who you are and where you come from and, frankly, I don't care. What I know is that you have no training and this can cause you problems in future." The three Yashashuu had then exchanged glances, remembering Maki and his son's trap. Urabe had shaken her head. "I see you've already had some troubles. Well, I offer to train you."

"What do you want in return?" Kagetora had asked, suspicious.

Urabe had smiled. "Only that you go hunting spirits for me. That will train you and spare me some work." They had quickly accepted.

XxX

Kagetora reached the street, relieved. Urabe hadn't seen him going out. He would probably be lectured when he returned, but he didn't care. Even if he had concentrated all the day, nothing would have happened. He was sure that if he did it again the next day, he would succeed that time. So he would better go out to take his mind off things rather than wasting his time. He was now walking along a straight street. Like each city from that time, the streets formed a grid so it wasn't difficult to find your way around. He quickly arrived at the city centre and immediately relaxed in the lively atmosphere. He eventually stopped before a merchant's stall and wondered if he should buy a tsumugi(3) veil for Urabe, to calm her anger. But there was also Naoe, and he would not fail to remind him of his duties as Kenshin's representative. Kagetora didn't know how to buy this man. He gave up his idea and sighed. Of course, he knew his mission was very important and he didn't want to disappoint Kenshin. However, he still had the right to have fun from time to time, like anyone else.

He winced at this thought. Anyone else hadn't snatched a body to stay in the world of the living. It was something he would have loved to forget, but it was impossible. Every breath he took reminded him this wasn't his body. After his... rape, Kagetora had thought that only his body had been defiled. He had often contemplated suicide, and only his pride and the fear that everything could have been discovered had prevented him from doing it. He had often wondered how he would react if he had ever seen those three men... But it had never happened. And now he no longer had the same body, that abused body, he had believed the stain would have disappeared, or even lessened, but it wasn't the case. His soul would bear this burden until its purification, but with the mission entrusted by his father, purification wasn't going to happen soon.

"How much longer?" He mumbled. He didn't know how long it would take to accomplish this mission, but he really hoped he wouldn't have to snatch another body. Yet, the more time went by, the more difficult the task got. According to Urabe, generations of onmyoujis had been given the same task and it was far from complete. It couldn't be possible. Kenshin didn't call them back from the dead only to help the onmyoujis. There must be something else, but what?

For now, the Yashashuu were making do with developping their powers by fighting the troubled spirits which haunted the area. By listening to Urabe's teaching, Kagetora had realized their exorcism rituals were basically different, and it confirmed his suspicion that their mission wasn't only about hunting spirits. Their powers were meant for something else, but what? Whatever the real danger was, they haven't faced it yet, and Kagetora feared failure. Worse than anything, he was afraid to disappoint his father. That was why he wanted to assimilate all of Urabe's teaching, in order to be ready when the day would come. "And that's why you're out in the town instead of meditating," he thought with a guilty grin. He would meditate twice longer the next day, he swore to himself. He suddenly heard a characteristic sound and smiled: the puppet show was about to begin.

XxX

Naoe was nonchalantly walking along the main street. He didn't like to have to obey Urabe, but he had no choice. That woman had the knowledge they lacked. He didn't like to recognize this fact, but it was nonetheless true. The incident with the rokuro-kubi had proved that spirits wouldn't stay idle while they were fighting them. Naoe had expected them to counter-attack earlier, but they had obviously taken the time to organize themselves. He was sure there would be other traps. He had strongly criticized Kagetora's decision to send Irobe alone investigating in Echizen, but this brat had retorted it was only a reconnaissance mission and that Irobe should act only if he was sure it was safe. Naoe suddenly breathed out. It was more difficult than expected. He could hardly face Kagetora without wanting to hit him or shake him by the shoulders, and this lack of control was worrying him because he didn't know how to react. More than once, he had thought about leaving Iida and return to Echigo to join Kagekatsu's side. But it was too dangerous to leave Kagetora unwatched. Naoe was sure that this arrogant minion still hadn't renounced to Echigo and that he was just waiting for the right moment to attack his brother. Naoe didn't know yet with which army he would attack, but probably the Houjou's army. After all, Kagetora's brothers had sent him some help at the end of the Otate no Ran, but their armies had been delayed. "If I take my eyes off him," Naoe thought, "he will surely go to his brothers and foment a revolt against Kagekatsu-sama. He can't be trusted."

He sighed and focused his mind: he could feel Kagetora's presence in the city. So he headed to Iida's centre city. He stopped before a crowd of children and some adults, and looked at what was happening. It was a puppet show. Naoe couldn't understand people's enthusiasm for this art. You could see the puppeteers dressed in black and jiggling the dolls. There was nothing exceptional in there. It was so much more interesting to see a Noh play. But he could hear the audience's laughters and he thought that at least these people were enjoying themselves. Sometimes, he envied common people who could still live a normal life, made of joy and sorrow. He would have liked to still be a part of this world...

He suddenly frowned. Among the audience, he saw Kagetora. He watched a moment the young man having fun as though they weren't entrusted with an important mission. He snorted and made his way through the crowd to his master. Kagetora didn't notice his presence until the last moment and when the younger man turned to him, all fun had disappeared from his face.

"I suppose I must go back?" He simply said. Naoe nodded. Kagetora sighed and left the crowd. Naoe followed him in silence. He thought that their conversations were always very brief. He could tell Kagetora was wary of him, with good reason. As long as this brat would respect Kenshin's will, Naoe wouldn't take any measure. But as soon as he would stray from this path... The former vassal's hand tightened on his sword. Kenshin forbade them to kill the living, but possessors couldn't be considered as living, right? Therefore it wouldn't be a crime to kill Kagetora, especially if he attempted anything against Kagekatsu.

Throaty laughs attracted his attention and his eyes left Kagetora to focus on the street. There were some bushi cornering a young woman. Two of them were behaving as if they wanted something from her. The others were merely watching and laughing. Around them, the merchants and pedestrians were trying to ignore the scene and the frantic calls from the woman. Naoe sighed. Such incidents were unfortunately commonplace at these times. Soldiers unable to behave with dignity denoted a weak daimyo without any influence. Kenshin would never have tolerated such a behaviour with his troops. Kagekatsu... To be honest, Naoe hadn't served him long enough to tell what sort of man he was, but he trusted him and he knew he would be an excellent daimyo, unlike a certain arrogant minion who was just in front of him.

Naoe cast a contemptuous gaze at Kagetora and realized that the young man wasn't here any more. He swore and looked around himself, sure that Kagetora had taken the opportunity to escape, but then he saw him walking to the bushis. "He'd better not intervene," he thought. "Kenshin-kou has forbidden us to kill people, and these soldiers aren't going to appreciate his meddling. He's really foolhardy!"

Foolhardy or not, Kagetora was walking without any hesitation and Naoe could only follow him. "I hope he'll get hit," he thought. "Perhaps that will take him down a notch!" He was a little amused by this idea. He would only intervene if Kagetora was in danger to be killed, not before. So he was going to enjoy the show. It was going to be more interesting that a mere puppet show!

XxX

Kagetora was fed up. Urabe had sent Naoe to fetch him as if he was a disobedient child. She should have waited for him to come back on his own. He cast a glance back at the man who was following him like a shadow. He was appreciating his presence less and less. Even without thinking about Naoe's role during the Otate no Ran-- as if he could forget it!-- Kagetora couldn't stand him. He sighed. Kenshin had chosen Naoe to assist him, so he must have had a good reason to do so, even though Kagetora didn't understand his choice. Even though he trusted his adoptive father, he couldn't help but doubting the wisdom of his choice.

He suddenly heard a woman calling for help and looked around himself: a young woman was surrounded by some soldiers and there was no doubt about what they wanted from her. Kagetora saw red, especially when he noticed that nobody around intended to intervene. He walked towards the bushis. Two of them saw him approaching and turned to him to cast him a threatening look, their hands on their swords. Kagetora didn't let himself be intimidated and stopped in front of them.

"You'd better come back to where you come from," one of the soldiers said unkindly, "unless you want troubles?"

"I won't receive orders from a band of soldiers who dishonour their lord," he said coldly. He managed to attract the attention of the other bushis. The frightened girl looked at him and he nodded. She ran away quickly. The bushis didn't care about her any longer, anyway.

"You're insulting lord Tokugawa," one of them said to Kagetora.

The young man frowned. "Tokugawa?" He thought. "Oh right, the Takeda clan has been defeated and the lands have been divided between Oda's henchmen." He looked at the soldiers. "You are the one insulting him with your behaviour!" He accused them. "You should be ashamed to pick on a woman! Only cowards do that!"

One of the bushis began to draw his sword but he stopped when Kagetora's gaze rested on him. Not knowing why, he began to shudder. He tried to recollect himself but one of his comrades laid a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go," he whispered. "This doesn't seem good to me." Aloud, he said to Kagetora : "Don't think you're going to get away with it, peasant! You'd better not cross our path again!" The bushis left but it was obvious to everyone that their last words were only bragging.

Kagetora gazed at them until they disappeared at a corner, then he snorted. He heard footsteps behind him but didn't turn back.

"You are... surprising," Naoe said softly.

"Too bad for you they didn't attack me, right?"

Naoe took a proper look of disbelieving. "You forget my duty is to protect you."

"Yes, of course..." Without looking at Naoe, Kagetora headed to Urabe's house. Naoe followed him silently, lost in his thoughts.

XxX

Naoe was lost. Until then, he had believed that Kagetora was only an arrogant and unworthy brat, proud of his beauty. He had sometimes seen him in Kenshin's court and those times had only reinforced his first impression. He had seen a lot of bushis bustling around Kagetora in the hope of catching his attention. If Kagetora ever had any affairs, he had remained very discreet about them. Naoe didn't really know why Kenshin had adopted the boy after the Houjou had severed their alliance. After all, he had already Kagekatsu as an heir, so why burden himself with a second son? Malicious gossips had said that Kenshin himself had been seduced by the boy's beauty and hadn't wanted to let him go away. Naoe wasn't one to pay any attention to rumours, but this one seemed really likely. He could very well picture Kagetora using his allure to ensure that Kenshin would adopt him. After all, it was better to be the second son of Uesugi Kenshin than the seventh son of Houjou Ujiyasu.

But in this case, Naoe couldn't explain what had just happened. Kagetora had basically made flee a dozen of bushis without even drawing his sword. It couldn't be because the bushis didn't want any trouble with a noble: they were totally unaware of who Kagetora was and what his rank was. For them, he was just a peasant they could kill without fearing any punishment. They couldn't have been blinded by his beauty, too: in his new body, Kagetora was ordinary at best, nothing like his former appearance. So why? and how? "Could he be someone else than an arrogant minion?" He suddenly thought. He shook his head. "No, impossible. I may not be as good as Kenshin-kou to assess people, but I've always been able to gauge people's worth. I couldn't be mistaken to such an extent." Perhaps Kagetora had used his powers? But which power? Moreover, Naoe hadn't felt his energy. No, the answer must be elsewhere. Naoe sighed. It was important to find the answer to this enigma. Kagetora was Kagekatsu's enemy, after all, and Naoe should learn a lot of things about Kagetora in order to better protect his master.

They arrived at Urabe's house. The woman was waiting on the doorstep, her long black hair held back in a bun. She was nearly stamping her foot. Naoe looked at her neutrally. He didn't like her but he respected her knowledge as an onmyouji.

"You're finally here!" She said. "And you, Kurata, I wasted my precious time to teach you how to invoke a shikigami and you just had to scarper during a meditation session!"

Kagetora looked at her in silence. For security reasons, he was the only one whose real name she didn't know. Indeed, names like Naoe or Irobe could still go unnoticed, but his own name was too well known and they didn't want to attract any attention. "Disguises and false names," Kagetora often thought ironically, "this isn't worthy of a bushi!"

Urabe still hadn't finished her lecturing: "I've generously offered to teach you all I know, but if this is how you thank me..."

Kagetora suddenly had enough. He entered the house, took his zori off then returned to the meditation room without paying any attention to Urabe. The woman stared at him, speechless. In desperation, she turned to Naoe to complain, but the latter had also left. Without anyone to listen to her, she could only breathe out loudly and calm down her anger.

XxX

Kagetora still hadn't left the meditation room when night fell. Naoe had to share a meal alone with Urabe, and he could feel her seething with anger. It was showing up in the way she was squeezing the ohashi(4) and her furtive glances at Kagetora's empty place. The servants had not yet removed his bowl which was cooling gradually, like a constant reproach to her.

Naoe was savouring the meal without thinking of anything else. The afternoon incident with the bushi was still disturbing him a little so he had decided to observe his master more carefully. A crack jerked him from his thoughts: Urabe's wooden chopsticks had just broken in her hand. She put them down on the table with an annoyed gesture and, without looking at him, she said to her companion: "I never told him to spend the night to meditate!" She sounded like she wanted to justify herself, even though nobody had accused her. Naoe didn't reply but listened politely. "Go and look for him," she suddenly said. "You'll surely manage to reason with him."

Naoe obeyed with an ironic smile. He doubted that Kagetora would listen to him. However, he didn't think this brat was really meditating. He was surely trying to make Urabe feel guilty, and he must be sleeping while she imagined him to be starving. A joyless smile stretched his lips: these two were as childish as the other. It was clear that Kagetora wasn't taking Kenshin's mission seriously enough. Surely Kenshin wouldn't be long understanding it, then he would discharge Kagetora and, who knows, Naoe might be appointed in his place. He would finally receive the honours that were due to him and that death robbed him. "I deserve so much more than him to lead the Yasha-shuu," he thought. However, the incident with the bushis... "Don't think about it anymore," he decided. "Even though I can't explain it, it doesn't mean there are no explanations for this incident."

He stopped in front of the paper screen of the meditation room, determined to surprise Kagetora in sleep. He silently slid the screen. The lanterns lighting the room had gone out since a long time, which only reinforced Naoe's idea: Kagetora was just sleeping. The former vassal walked to the centre of the room. It was the biggest room of the house and it contained no furniture. The clear green tatamis covered the floor and they were firm. A censer was hanging on the wall but the incense cone had ceased to burn since a long time. In the darkness, Naoe could see his master's curled silhouette." Kagetora-sama?" He called softly.

There was no answer. With an ironic smile, Naoe walked closer... and suddenly retreated when he felt a presence approaching. He turned to the shouji screen and assumed a defensive stance, his orange aura wrapping him. A deep glow appeared behind the rice paper and Naoe's first impression was to see a big firefly. The light grew closer, glowing more and more. "Is it a spirit?" Naoe thought. "But I don't feel any malevolence."

Naoe was almost expecting the screen to catch on fire so he was surprised when it didn't happen. The light seemed to pass through the screen and Naoe was suddenly facing a phoenix. He blinked. It was the first time he saw this mythical animal. "Phoenixes are said to be benevolent," he thought. He noticed something else that made him frown: the bird had a familiar presence... Kagetora's! The bird suddenly uttered a piercing call and pounced on the young man. Naoe couldn't react and he turned to see the bird disappearing into Kagetora's body.

The young man suddenly opened his eyes and looked at Naoe without any surprise. He said nothing but straightened slowly. In the silent room, his joints' crackles could be heard, as if he had remained in this position for a long time. Kagetora headed to the door but he stopped before the sliding screen and half-turned to the former vassal. "Irobe is well," he announced. "He has settled the disappearings problem and is on his way back. He should arrive at the end of the week."

Naoe took some time to react. Kagetora had already left the room so he had to run behind him. He caught up with him in the corridor. "You got in contact with Irobe?" He asked.

Kagetora remained impassive. "That's what a shikigami is made for," he simply said.

Naoe's face became neutral again. "You didn't eat anything tonight," he said suddenly. "You should take care of you, you know. Remember that you are our leader and..."

"Don't bother."

Naoe widened his eyes. "Kagetora-sama?" The young man was smiling ironically, a look that Naoe had rarely seen on his face.

"You say one thing, but you're thinking of another," Kagetora said. "You say what's expected from you but there's no feeling behind your words. It's as though you're playing a part. I can't trust someone who doesn't speak openly. You're just an emotionless doll." On these last words, Kagetora left the room. Naoe didn't try to stop him, he was too shocked by what he had just heard. He clenched and loosened his fists unconsciously.

XxX

_"You don't have a heart, my lord." The elegant woman was sitting in their bed, her long black hair cascading down along her back. He was lying next to her and listening without reacting. She was a woman, after all, and woman always had strange ideas. "Even when you make love to me," she went on, "I don't feel anything from you. It's as if I sleep with a piece of wood."_

_"Do you want my love?" He asked neutrally. "You perfectly knew this marriage wouldn't be based on love."_

_The woman smiled at him. "I doubt you'll ever be able to love someone, my lord. You just can't. You are cold as ice... but so beautiful..." The woman leaned to kiss him. Naoe thought that, despite her complaining, she didn't seem too unhappy._

XxX

Naoe shook his head to get rid of this memory. He hadn't thought about his wife since the beginning of his new life. He had only married her to gain influence and to have an heir. But she had been right about one thing: he was usually indifferent and didn't feel much. However, since he woke up in this new body... "This brat," he thought. "He knows how to get on my nerves even though I should remain impassive. How dares he stand in front of me even though I defeated him at Samegao? Moreover, he has the nerve to read me like an open book. I'll never forgive him. I'll do everything I can to defeat him and to see him begging me for mercy!" He turned to the meditation room. He was going to prove he was the strongest.

XxX

As predicted, Irobe returned at the end of the week and made his report to Kagetora. "The disappearings were committed by a vengeful spirit. A man from the village died during the battle of Shizutage(5) and he came back from the other world to haunt some villagers."

"Why?" Kagetora asked.

Irobe averted his gaze. "It seems it was a personal revenge. During the war, two families evicted his wife and children from their home and appropriated their lands." A silence ensued, then Irobe concluded: "I've exorcised the spirit and now the village is peaceful."

Kagetora nodded. "You have done a good job, Irobe." Irobe bowed and left the room. Kagetora sighed. Maybe it was because he had been a vengeful spirit earlier, but he could sometimes understand the spirits' motivations. However, he shouldn't wonder if things were fair or not: evil spirits had to be purified, it was their mission.

Kagetora suddenly wondered if he would be able to exorcise the spirit of someone he knew and cared for. He thought about it for a moment, then smiled bitterly. No matter how he tried to look in his memory, there was nobody he really cared for. He sighed, thinking about his lecture to Naoe. Finally, he wasn't better than him. He had only played the part of Kenshin's son without ever really trusting anyone. Since... _that night_, he hadn't been able to trust someone. The worst was that he instinctively distrusted people, it wasn't like he was forcing himself to do so. This systematic distrust was deeply implanted in him and he wouldn't be able to get rid of this bad habit, even if he wanted to. He shook his head and smiled ironically. Kenshin had chosen well his representatives. If they didn't end up by killing each other, they may have a chance to purify Japan.

_**To be continued...**_

_Notes :_

_(1) Shikigami: a spiritual bird. An onmyouji can see and hear by its eyes and ears. Widely used in Tokyo Babylon._

_(2) zori: a sort of sandals, different from the getas which are used in summer_

_(3) tsumugi: silk from Iida_

_(4) ohashi: chopsticks_

_(5) the battle of Shizutage: a battle that took place in the Oumi area in 1583. Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Sakuma Morisama, the daimyo of Echizen, fought during this battle._


	8. Chapter 7

_**Mirage of Beginning**_

_**by Karura**_

_**Chapter Seven**_

Kagetora was leaving the temple with Naoe after celebrating the New Year. "It's now the seventeenth year of the Tensho era(1)," he thought. "It has been ten years since my death." He knew it was a rather morbid thought but he couldn't help it. It had been two years since he had possessed this new body, but he still wasn't used to it. Sometimes, he woke up in the morning being completely disoriented and unable to say where he was. He didn't say a word about it to his two companions because he didn't want to admit a weakness. Moreover, Naoe had been acting strangely since several months. He was more aloof than usual and Kagetora could feel the other man's animosity towards himself. "It's nothing new," he thought with a wry smile, "but I think it's worse than usual." He shrugged. Naoe wasn't a threat so Kagetora didn't care about his strange behaviour.

"Kagetora-sama ?"

The young man turned his head to Naoe, thinking the other man had just called him, but Naoe's eyes were looking at the ground. Kagetora frowned and stopped. Naoe looked up at him with a questioning look. "Kagetora-sama?" It was like an echo.

"Shh," the former warlord said. He pricked up his ears and listened attentively.

"... let's not talk about it here, but his coming back is near..."

"I heard he was dead."

"He barely made it and it took him ten years to recover from his burns. There is a meeting tonight, at the Dragon Tavern."

"I'm coming."

Kagetora looked around himself and saw a man exiting from an alley and who seemed rather in a hurry. He was tempted for a moment to follow him but he renounced. He knew anyway where to find the man in the evening, and he wanted first to get more information about this curious case.

"My lord?" Naoe called behind him.

Kagetora turned to him and said:"Do you know where is the Dragon Tavern?"

XxX

Curiously enough, there were a lot of people at the tavern, even though it was the first night of the New Year. Kagetora settled in a corner with a glass of sake. He didn't want to attract any attention but he didn't want also to miss what would happen. He could hear the waitress muttering between her teeth each time she passed close to him that it was the first time they had so many customers and that she would have done well without it. Kagetora had a bemused smile that disappeared quickly when a man entered the tavern, causing silence. The newcomer nodded at the gathered crowd. It seemed to please him. He walked to the center of the room and cleared his throat.

"I'm pleased to see so many influential people here tonight."

Curious, Kagetora looked around himself and recognized some noblemen.

"You all know what it's about. Echigo has fallen into the wrong hands. Kagekatsu has become Hideyoshi's puppet and he's ready to surrender at any time. Little by little, everyone in Japan will have to bow to this upstart peasant(2)! Oda was an acceptable leader: he was of noble birth and had fought his own battles. But unfortunately he died, and we have only his two henchmen left."

Kagetora was startled: so Oda had died? He should inquire about it later.

The man continued his harangue, getting more and more motivated by his own words. "Tokugawa would be an acceptable leader, but he has chosen to bow to Hideyoshi. We have to do something now if we want to control our country's future! Only one man can face with Hideyoshi. He was long thought dead but he was slowly preparing his revenge!"

A murmur ran through the crowd: "Kagetora-sama..."

"If you want to join his side, it's now or never! His troops are preparing themselves for a great battle. For ten years, we had thought he was dead and defeated, but now he will reappear like a phoenix rising from its ashes!"

A murmur of approval could be heard from the gathered people. The speaker smiled smugly before concluding: "His coming back is near. This year is going to be punctuated with many battles, but it will end with the establishment of a new order!"

Two or three men began to cheer in different places of the tavern, and people imitated them gradually.

Kagetora's face darkened. He didn't like people using his name to foment a revolt, for it was the matter.

"Someone is pretending to be me," he thought.

He was deeply upset that someone could steal his identity. On the other hand, he was rather curious to know what was actually going on here. Why did they choose his name? The man they had talked about was obviously an impostor, but he could have chosen so many other powerful nobles. So why choose the adopted son of a warlord?

Kagetora wanted to get closer to the speaker but the latter was surrounded by several people who wanted to talk to him.

"It's too risky to question him here," Kagetora thought. "It's better to wait until he returns home." With a mocking smile, Kagetora went in a dark corner and invoked his phoenix. It amused him to see the bird fly in the tavern without anyone noticing it. "So many things can happen near us without we see them," he marveled.

He concentrated on his shikigami and ordered him: "Follow him." Now, he would be able to know the man's house without having to trail after him and risking to be found out. The firebird landed on a beam just above its target who didn't notice a thing, not even when one of the fire feathers fell on his shoulder.

One by one, the crowd left the tavern. Kagetora exited with the second wave of departure. He was going to wait in a nearby alley for everyone to be gone. He leaned against a wall and kept an eye on the tavern. The night had completely fallen now, and the people leaving the tavern seemed to have no face. Kagetora was glad he had thought to use his phoenix. Without it, he might have followed the wrong person.

"I just have to wait," he thought, leaning against the wall.

He suddenly felt a hand grasping his shoulder and he turned back quickly to meet Naoe's cold gaze.

"What does it mean?" The former vassal asked.

Kagetora swallowed. "What are you talking about? Am I forbidden to go out even at night?"

The look Naoe cast him could have turned him into ashes. "I was in the tavern", he said. "I heard everything."

Kagetora clenched his fists. He would have to explain himself.

"Are you going to abandon Kenshin-kou's mission to make your return to the world of the living?"

The young man gave him a startled and furious look. "This is what you think?" He accused him.

Of course, Naoe wasn't different from the others. Nobody never trusted him because he was not blood-related to Kenshin. They would always ostracize him because he came from the Houjou clan. He should have known it by now.

"I have nothing to do with it, here!" He said in a hard tone, knowing fully that Naoe wouldn't believe him. Indeed, the man gave him an incredulous look. Kagetora decided to skip the explanations. "I'm going to follow this man and discover what is happening," he announced.

He deliberately turned his back to the former vassal and brought his attention back to the tavern. He concentrated but felt that his shikigami was no longer there. "Damn," he swore between his teeth. "He made off!"

Fortunately, he could feel where his shikigami was. The bird wasn't far away but it was still moving. Kagetora walked along the street, totally ignoring Naoe who began to follow him, still frowning.

XxX

After half an hour, they were standing before a small and modest-looking house. Kagetora had thought first it was the wrong place, but he could feel the presence of his shikigami inside the building. He concentrated in order to see through the phoenix's eyes. He had already done it several times, but he still couldn't get used to this feeling. It was as if he had four eyes and that each pair didn't see the same thing as the other. It was sometimes difficult to make a distinction between the two visions. He could see the man they had been following waiting in a dilapidated and bare room. He could see the house from the outside, a dark spot against the starry sky. He suddenly saw a silhouette coming closer to the man. A bright fuchsia light appeared in one of the window and his second vision suddenly disappeared.

He staggered slightly and closed his eyes before they became blurred. When he opened them, his sight was normal again. Now he had a new reason to think this story was much more than a mere insurgency.

"My shikigami has just been destroyed," he informed Naoe. "Someone with spiritual powers is involved!"

Naoe narrowed his eyes, looking at the house. "Shouldn't you know better than me who is involved in this case?"

The insinuation enraged the younger man. He grabbed Naoe by the collar of his hakama and pinned him against a wall. "I have nothing to do with it," he said, separating each word. "I thought I heard someone call my name in the street earlier and I followed them. If I really wanted to seize power, I would directly defy Kagekatsu instead of involving innocent people! There have been enough deaths..."

Naoe's eyes widened but he said nothing. Kagetora released him, feeling suddenly very tired. No, never again did he want to go over the Otate no Ran. In any case, he had decided to devote himself to the mission entrusted to him by his father, body and soul. Nothing else mattered to him, now. But Naoe could probably never understand that.

"What do we do, then?" The former vassal suddenly asked. "Do we enter to see who is inside?"

Kagetora chewed on his lower lips. He didn't know what to do. There was a person who could destroy his shikigami there and it complicated things. "Let's go near," he finally said.

There was only one guard at the entrance but the two possessors went round the surrounding wall and climbed it to land in the gardens.

"It's small," Naoe noticed in a whisper.

"It's not like we'd want to buy the place!" Kagetora hissed before hushing him. They carefully walked to the window where the fuchsia light had come from. They could hear voices that became clearer as they went near.

"... followed, you stupid!"

"Excuse me, my lord, I didn't know!" Kagetora recognized the voice of the man from the tavern.

"Of course, you're only a mere human. I'm wondering if it was the right decision to entrust you such a difficult task."

A thud could be heard then, and Kagetora supposed that the man must have gone down on his knees. "I beg you to trust me! I'm loyal to him, just like you!"

Another sound. This time, it was a slap followed by a slight cry of pain.

"Nobody," the unknown voice was filled with venom, "nobody can be as faithful as I am! I'm the only one, do you get it, the only one who had strongly believed in his return for the last ten years!" There was a silence, and then the stranger added: "I'm giving you one last chance. Don't ruin it!" Footsteps were heard, then the sharp sliding of a screen.

Without thinking twice, Kagetora opened the screen and entered the room. He could hear Naoe sighing behind him but his protector followed him all the same. The man he had seen at the tavern turned to them, his eyes widening. Kagetora saw he was about to scream for help, but he was quicker: he ran to him and put his hand on the man's mouth.

"Shut up", he told him quietly and looked into his eyes. "You'll only answer our questions." Kagetora made his voice quiet but important. He wanted to hypnotize him in order to get information.

XxX

Naoe and he had this power, unlike Irobe. They had discovered this skill almost by chance: during an exorcism, a young woman had seen the whole scene. She had been very shocked and Kagetora had walked to her to reassure her. "Everything is fine," he had said. "Nothing happened."

The woman had stood up, her eyes a little glassy, and she had repeated: "Nothing happened..." Then she had recollected herself and looked at them as if for the first time. She had smiled, taken her basket which had fallen, then had resumed her walking as if nothing had really happened. After a moment of consultation, the Yashashuu had followed her and realized she really didn't remember a thing.

"It's a very useful power," Irobe had commented. "Bishamonten has really planned everything."

"I wonder why we don't have the same powers!" Naoe had said, slightly annoyed.

"This way, we can complement each other," the former general had replied.

XxX

The man's body suddenly relaxed and an almost smug smile stretched his lips. "Yes?" He said in a monotonous voice.

Kagetora and Naoe exchanged quick glances. The result of the hypnosis depended on the person's will. This man wasn't very strong.

"Where is Kagetora?" Kagetora asked.

"I don't know. They don't trust me. I just have to make speeches and..."

"And?"

"And to hire servants."

Kagetora stood up and thought hard. He quickly found the only possible plan. "Where are the people you've hired?"

"They must leave tomorrow. I'm not going with them. They don't trust me."

"Where is the meeting place? And when are they going to leave?"

"Tomorrow, at dawn, near the marketplace."

Kagetora breathed in. "Go to sleep now. When you wake up, you won't remember a thing about our little conversation. Do you get it?"

"Yes..." The man collapsed and began to snore. Kagetora left the house, followed by a silent Naoe.

Once they came back to the alley, the former vassal finally expressed his thoughts: "You're thinking of mixing with the servants."

"If you have another plan," Kagetora said in a threatening tone. Naoe always had to criticize his decisions, as if he was better than him. Kagetora couldn't stand it anymore, especially since he was doing his best!

"It's the best we can do," Naoe surprised him. "That way, we could collect all the needed information. But..."

"What?"

"Is it really our mission? We mustn't get involved with the living's business."

A silence ensued. No matter how many years would pass by, Kagetora would still have to tell himself that he was dead and that he didn't belong to the living world anymore, even when he was still in this world. It was paradoxical and deeply unfair, but he had no choice. There was no other way to accomplish his father's mission and he was ready to be damned for that.

"You forget the one who destroyed my shikigami. Someone with spiritual powers is involved in this case. And moreover, now that we have heard about it, do you really think we could stand idly by?"

Naoe smiled slightly and, for once, his smile wasn't disdainful. It was an understanding smile and it surprised Kagetora. "No, you're right, Kagetora-sama."

And for the first time since their resurrection, Kagetora felt that the honorific was coming naturally from the lips of the former vassal.

_**To be continued...**_

_Notes:_

_(1) the seventeenth year of the Tensho era: 1589_

(2) Indeed, Toyotomi Hideyoshi isn't of noble birth.


End file.
